Barnsley Alhambra: Health and wellbeing proposals for shopping centre

The council said the plan secures a key building in the town centre

A shopping centre in Barnsley could become a health and wellbeing hub under council plans to redevelop the site.

Barnsley Council said it had agreed to buy the leasehold of the Alhambra shopping centre "to keep its central role in the heart of the town centre".

The centre had "served Barnsley well", but it was time to rethink its future.

Council leader Sir Steve Houghton said making healthcare more accessible had worked well in the nearby NHS Community Diagnostic Centre in The Glass Works.

Funding for the £4.5m purchase of the leasehold and redevelopment work had been agreed with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, the council said.

"The Alhambra Centre has served Barnsley well for many years, but it is time to rethink its future, to redevelop the centre and to make sure it is there for the long term," Sir Steve said.

He added there would still be retail within the centre, but they wanted to explore what else they could put in to make it "more sustainable".

Sir Steve Houghton said the purchase would be a "huge opportunity" for the town

Barnsley Council said the opening of the diagnostic centre in The Glass Works shopping centre had a significant impact on healthcare in the town.

It said it had helped achieve a 22% increase in breast screening rates from April-October 2022, reduced waiting times for imaging services and saw a reduction in missed appointments.

Sir Steve said that was something they wanted to build on at the Alhambra.

"Can we look at public health and other health services, health and wellbeing more generally to make that health on the High Street right there for people to use?"

The Alhambra has been in receivership since 2021 and the council said purchasing the leasehold would secure the future of a key town centre building.

Sir Steve said the proposal to take control of the Alhambra was a "huge opportunity to take the town to a new level".

"We've got ambitious plans to create a vibrant, high-quality and consistent experience across The Glass Works, Alhambra and wider town centre, and make healthcare more accessible for all," he added.