£5m council plan to spruce up town centre

MILLIONS of pounds are to be spent on improving Huddersfield’s tired streets to bring the town centre back to life.

The “masterplan” unveiled by Kirklees Council will cost nearly £5m, but supporters say it will raise what’s known as “the public realm” to a high standard.

What’s more it is geared towards a new future for the town “where retail is less of a focus.”

By planting trees and installing art in the key locations of New Street, Cross Church Street/King Street and the Queensgate/Queen Street area of the town centre designers hope to create a better impression of Huddersfield.

And by resurfacing low quality paved areas they hope to save on the cost of County Court actions that have cost the council more than £48,000 in trip hazard claims.

The £1.2m revitalisation of New Street is described as “an exemplar project” within what is known as the Huddersfield Town Centre Design Framework.

It will include street trees, greenspace and new planters, seating, art and improved paving and access.

Work will occur in three phases that will include Queensgate/103 New Street to Princess Street and Princess Street to Cloth Hall Street.

The area around Cross Church Street, Queen Street and Queensgate described as “the heart of the main retail offer of the town”, is earmarked for a £3.5m makeover.

Just over a third of the cost – £1.3m – will be granted by West Yorkshire Combined Authority. The remaining £2.3m shortfall is expected to come from the West Yorkshire Transport Fund.

However the cash may not be available until 2020/21, prompting officers to ask the council to underwrite the work to speed up completion.

At the same time they will pursue parallel bids, which, if successful, will allow the authority’s financial outlay to be reclaimed.

A further £250,000 is needed to pay for “essential elements of maintenance” in the town centre.

Joanne Bartholomew, the council’s director for commercial, regulatory and operational services, said Cross Church Street was recognised as a busy part of town and was often the overriding impression of Huddersfield’s “offer” outside the Kingsgate centre.

She said there was a need to make the area less hostile to pedestrians affected by traffic, to upgrade its conservation status and improve it from its current “low quality environment.”

She added: “Upgrading the street scape as a first step alongside planned shopfront design guide policies, more rigorous enforcement and controls on hot food takeaways and licensing will ensure over time the whole area is uplifted.

“It is important that we recognise that the role of town centres is changing and that as a council we react to those changes in a positive way.

“Importantly we need to plan for a new future for the town where retail is less of a focus and we attract new uses and residents to bring the towns alive again.”

Clr Peter McBride, who is spearheading several major regeneration projects in Dewsbury and Huddersfield including the renovation of the former Co-op building on New Street, said the masterplan complemented investment in Kingsgate and the Co-op site.

“It’s not the end of the story,” he said. “It’s the beginning of a longterm investment in two major towns.

“Watch this space. There will be more happening.”