Plans approved to demolish 39 homes in Goldthorpe regeneration scheme
Rows of ageing terraced homes are to be knocked down - to allow for new development
Plans to demolish dozens more homes in Goldthorpe as part of a major regeneration project have been approved by Barnsley Council.
Cabinet members backed proposals on March 4 to move ahead with the second stage of the council’s Goldthorpe Housing Project, which could see 39 properties in and around Co-operative Street and Claycliffe Terrace bought and demolished.
The scheme follows an earlier phase approved in 2024, which saw rows of terraced housing demolished to make way for new council homes.
Council officers say the second phase aims to tackle a wider cluster of ageing housing and long-standing issues in the area including empty properties, crime, anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping.
Councillor Caroline Makinson, deputy leader of the council, assured today’s cabinet meeting that ‘all residents affected will be fully supported’.
Unlike the first phase of the project, most of the homes identified for demolition in Phase two are currently occupied, mainly by tenants in the private rented sector. A smaller number of the properties are already vacant or owned by the council.
The council says it will initially seek to buy the properties through voluntary agreement with owners.
Compulsory purchase powers would only be used as a last resort where negotiations fail or where property ownership cannot be established. Any compulsory purchase order would also require final approval from the Secretary of State.
Officials say residents will be supported and rehoused before any demolition takes place.
Households affected by the plans would receive individual housing needs assessments, relocation support and help finding alternative accommodation, including access to council housing where appropriate.
The homes would not be replaced immediately.
Instead, the land would be cleared and prepared for redevelopment, with longer-term plans to build new housing once the site has been assembled and planning permission secured.
Details of what will eventually be built, including the number and type of new homes, have not yet been finalised and would be brought forward through a future planning application.
The council has allocated £5.3 million to deliver the second phase of the project, funded through a combination of Towns Fund investment and council resources.
Work on the scheme is expected to continue until 2028, subject to approvals and property acquisitions.
The council says further engagement will take place with affected residents as the project progresses.
The proposals form part of wider regeneration plans by Barnsley Council aimed at improving housing conditions and living environments in Goldthorpe and the Dearne area.