Revised Plans for Penistone Apartments

Apartments for the Elderly Back on the Agenda in Penistone

22 August 2007

Revised plans to develop 52 residential apartments – aimed primarily at elderly members of the local community – are to be submitted to Barnsley Metropolitan District Council.

 The apartments, to be situated on St Mary’s Street, are an integral element of the £15 million regeneration scheme that has been proposed for Penistone Town Centre.

 Barnsley based property developer, Dransfield Properties Ltd, which is funding the scheme, had consulted closely with Barnsley MBC and with English Heritage from an early stage and was encouraged by all parties to submit an application. The apartments are a joint venture in the name of Dransfield and Golden Living, a company that specialises in the provision of stylish and secure retirement apartments.

 Following concerns raised by Barnsley MBC and Penistone Town Council about the height of the apartment building, Dransfield Properties agreed to reduce this by 3.15 metres (10 feet) but retaining the building’s four storey feature in order to ensure the proposal’s viability.

  “We are aware that the proposed apartments have triggered much enthusiastic interest in the town and over 80 names have already been registered.

 “We trust that councillors and planners will understand that we have listened carefully to their concerns and taken appropriate action”, said Mark Dransfield, managing director of Dransfield Properties.

News of the new application has been welcomed by Penistone residents. Among them is Geoff Smith, who said:

“I was extremely disappointed when I heard that this part of the regeneration scheme had not been approved by the council. This type of accommodation is very badly needed in Penistone and will enable people, who are more or less stranded in their larger family homes, to down- size into more suitable homes.

“Their homes could then be made available to new families who wish to settle in the town or upgrade from smaller homes.

“I am aware of the huge efforts made by Dransfield and Golden Living to modify and adjust the development to develop previous criticisms and I sometimes get the impression that schemes like this fail because of ‘nit picking’ and relatively minor issues.  Why can’t they stand back, look at the whole scheme and realise that it is just what Penistone needs.

“This is not the only scheme in Penistone that councillors and planners seem determined to frustrate. Barnsley MBC’s much vaunted and frequently trumpeted provision of care for the elderly does not seem to include the construction of suitable accommodation.

“As an elderly person myself, I urge councillors to listen and act accordingly.”

For further information, contact:

Public Relations Department, Dransfield Properties Ltd
Tel: 01226 360644
Email: pr@dransfield.co.uk