Kirklees Council is working to ensure that the town centre remains relevant and its plans for New Street are just one part of the Huddersfield Blueprint vision for the town.
The Huddersfield Blueprint Plan aims to make Huddersfield a great place to live, work, visit and invest in, enhancing and embracing the areas which give Huddersfield its unique character.
The New Street plans aim to provide more space and a safer environment for people to enjoy the town centre. The introduction of informal play opportunities and attractive places to meet and socialise aims to encourage active healthy lifestyles. More footfall in the area will also support the high street shops and encourage people to spend more time in the area, promoting business growth and investment.
Under the council’s plan for pioneering clean and green spaces, the plans include transforming a section of New Street to make it a ‘green street’. It will include green space with planting, seating, unique vertical planters and space for events such as pop-up markets.
A key feature of the new space will be a poem by renowned Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage, embossed onto the paving, a visitor attraction.
Work to prepare the site has started and Virgin Media are nearing the end of their work re-routing cables. The next progress residents and businesses will see is the new lighting installation which includes new street lighting columns in different positions. The new lighting system will also provide an improved CCTV system, improving safety and aiming to reduce anti-social behaviour in the area.
The work will be carried out in seven phases so that disruption to businesses in the area is kept to a minimum.
The work is due to be completed in early 2024.
Councillor Graham Turner, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said:
“Great places need great people, and great people make a community. Huddersfield and Dewsbury both aim to welcome hundreds of new residents over the next few years. To support this, we need to continue to build resilience and strengthen our communities.
“Huddersfield needs to diversify and create places that can meet the everyday needs of the surrounding communities. New residents will create a greater demand for independent shops, start-up enterprises, cafes, and eateries.
“The current investment to transform New Street is the first step to redefining Huddersfield town centre and what it can become for current and future generations.”
The plans and details can be found online at www.kirklees.gov.uk/new-street
For inquiries directly to the project team contact newstreet@kirklees.gov.uk