Tuscan vision for Barnsley

The town would have a halo of light above it

A plan to remodel the centre of Barnsley on the theme of a walled village in Tuscany has gone on show in the town.

It is the design of architect Will Alsop whose Peckham library in London won him the Stirling Prize.

He wants to create a modern version of a Tuscan wall by having a circle of modern buildings surrounding Barnsley's Town Hall.

His vision also includes beaming a halo of light hundreds of feet into the air to capture the South Yorkshire town in a golden glow.

If we can just make this town beautiful, people will come

Will Alsop

The 12-metre-square model is on display at the town's Design Centre until the end of March.

It has already been on show at the Venice Biennale Art and Architecture exhibition where it was seen by 8,000 people a day.

Mr Alsop said: "If we can just make this town beautiful, people will come."

Barnsley councillor Bill Denton said: "Visitors to the exhibition are invited to comment on the vision and this feedback will be monitored and considered carefully."

Flagging communities

The plan for Barnsley is part of the Renaissance Towns project which is supported by the regional development agency Yorkshire Forward and aims to bring flagging communities back to life.

Mr Alsop's Italian vision for the town has proved the most eye-catching of several redevelopment schemes put forward for changing the face of Barnsley over the next 20 years.

In March the council intends to publish full details of all the plans put forward.