Consultation on a 'development plan' which identifies greenbelt land to be used for employment and housing sites starts on Monday.

The 'sites and places' plan maps every inch of the borough, with 681 hectares identified as 'available for economic development' with a further 408 set aside for housing.

Many of the proposed sites are in the greenbelt and communities are expected to object.

But the council believes the approach is needed to allow economic progress and create thousands of jobs.

In an interview for this week's Chronicle Coun Linda Burgess said the development plans were linked to a 25-year economic strategy.  "There's a long way to go but the economic strategy is a very ambitious plan, for making sure that we increase the opportunity for jobs to be created in Barnsley and that we make sure there is the right infrastructure, i.e. the sites for businesses to come into Barnsley.

"We are talking about the big businesses which are needed."

Sites identified for development include:

Employment: Athersley, 'Pit Field', off Laithes Lane; Royston, land between Lee Lane and Applehaigh View; Darton, extension of Birthwaite business park; Haigh, east of the M1; Mapplewell, extension of Wakefield Road employment zone, Cudworth/Grimethorpe, Engine Lane; Grimethorpe, Spring Road/Ferrymoor Way; Barugh Green/Higham/Gawber, land between Barugh Green Road and Hermit Lane; Barugh Green, extension of Whaley Road industrial site; Monk Bretton/West Green, area behind Ardagh Glass; Dodworth, land between Higham Lane and M1; Stairfoot, Wombwell Lane; Darfield, land between Cathill Roundabout and Highgate; Springvale, Blacker Hill, fields between Dearne Valley Parkway and former railway; Birdwell/Hoyland, land either side of the Dearne Valley Parkway.

Housing: Royston, the former High School site between Common Lane and Midland Road, land between Station Road/Haigh Moor Way, land near Victoria Road and Lidgett Way, land beyond Church Hill; Shafton, land between Blacker Lane and The Green View;  Mapplewell, Spark Lane and Carr Green Lane; Carlton, behind Carlton industrial estate between Carlton Road and Fish Dam Lane; New Lodge/Smithies, off Wakefield Road; Lundwood, rear of Priory Place; Kingstone, former High School site; Goldthorpe, behind Kathleen Grove, between former railway and Doncaster Road in front of Cross Street and land beyond Lindale Gardens; Penistone, fields between Schole Hill Lane and Hartcliff Road; Cubley, land behind Cubley Hall and Mortimer Road; Wombwell, former High School site.

The map showing all development sites can be viewed by clicking here. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the link which says 'LDF Booklet'.

The full interview with Coun Burgess is on the front of this week's Town edition.