Kirklees Together

Improvements on Daisy Hill in Dewsbury are moving forward, with many properties now under development and big plans for future work underway.

This work is a key part of the Dewsbury Blueprint, our ambitious plan for investment and improvements to Dewsbury town centre.

Much of this work is part of the Dewsbury Revival Grant Scheme, as well as the town’s Heritage Action Zone.

What are the plans?

We plan to create a new neighbourhood around Daisy Hill. This will be made up of homes which are both excellent quality and affordable to rent or buy.  Our aim is to address the great need for affordable housing – both in Kirklees and nationally. Whilst also setting a new standard for residential developments in Dewsbury.

But it’s not just about housing.  Alongside the new residences there will also be a large amount of retail and commercial space. This will complement the retail offering we’re working to develop in other areas of the town centre.

Once completed, the neighbourhood will feature both new buildings and converted structures.

What’s happening right now?

We’re currently in the process of improving and repurposing lots of existing properties around Daisy Hill.  You might recognise a few of them.

6-10 Westgate

This building is a really prominent space on the main traffic thoroughfare through Dewsbury.  We’re redeveloping the building to house three new apartments, two new office units and two retail spaces.

The work on the building includes structural refurbishing, a new roof and windows, reinstalling historic stonework, and installing beautiful new shopfronts which are in keeping with the traditional aesthetic on the street.

63 Daisy Hill

This is a former commercial building we’re converting into housing.

The current work is structural, and we’re developing the front of the building to make it suitable for residential development.  The windows and stonework we’ll be installing for this are being created using traditional materials and design, to maintain the historic look and feel of the area.

Fieldhouse

Plans for our flagship building on Daisy Hill, currently known as Fieldhouse, were approved late last year.  Fieldhouse is a four-storey building standing opposite Dewsbury Railway Station, and once transformed it will create 23 spacious new homes which will be known as ‘Station Apartments’.

And more…

Smaller-scale work is also being done on a number of other properties, including several familiar retail establishments around the town centre.

Greenwoods on Church Street, Kashmir Travel on Foundry Street, and the Cocoa Lounge and Homework on Northgate have all benefitted from practical and aesthetic improvements to boost the look and feel of the area.

Making improvements like these will help the local businesses we’re investing in to attract more customers. Alongside other investments, will also encourage new businesses into the town centre.

Meanwhile, in the background…

This work which will eventually be followed by brand new developments to complete the new, improved Daisy Hill – it’s a long-running project which will completely transform the whole area.

Alongside all the current ongoing improvements, we’re also in the process of procuring various structures in and around the Daisy Hill area for the purposes of future developments.

How is this being delivered?

This work is part of the Dewsbury Revival Grant Scheme, which was launched in 2020 and is about improving the appearance of heritage buildings on key streets around Dewsbury town centre.  The scheme is supported by the Towns Fund, a government initiative to support town centres up and down the country.

Dewsbury’s Heritage Action Zone has also contributed to work already undertaken on Daisy Hill.  We’ve been working in partnership with Historic England to deliver the Heritage Action Zone in Dewsbury town centre. Which is about using the town’s history as a catalyst to boost economic growth.  This scheme of funding ended in March this year.

We’re partnering with many contractors and developers on different aspects of the Daisy Hill project. These include Mood Developments, Code Building Solutions, Britt Harwood, Martin Walsh Architectural, Jupiter Construction, Rhodes Joinery & Building Services, and Roebuck & Holmes.

Councillor Eric Firth, Cabinet Member for Transport and Dewsbury ward councillor, says:

“The scale of development we’re facing in Dewsbury is absolutely colossal, and Daisy Hill is possibly the area with the most moving parts.  There are so many different structures, different buildings with different issues needing different work.  All the while we’re looking at where to build on existing structures, and where to invest in creating brand new ones.  In the current economic climate, a big part of that is knowing where to spend money wisely, and what will bring the best long-term value for those who live and work in Dewsbury.

“We know Daisy Hill has some challenges, which our regeneration programme faces head-on.  As well as addressing the housing shortage and adding more commercial spaces in the town centre, what we’re doing here in the long run is also actually designing out crime.  What we’re shooting for at the end of all this work is one big, cohesive development, a beautiful area with lots of footfall – somewhere people can feel proud to call home.”

Keith Ramsay, Chair of the Dewsbury Town Deal Board, says:

“This work on Daisy Hill is an opportunity to bring the area’s array of living accommodation back into use, and it’s a huge part of our regeneration of the town centre.  Through this project, we know we can make Dewsbury a more attractive location to live and work in.”