Preparations underway for improvements around Dewsbury Town Hall
We’ve begun preparations for improvements to the area around Dewsbury Town Hall, which will mean a thoroughfare the town centre and a nicer new public space for those who live and work in Dewsbury.
This bit of Dewsbury is a key route between the bus station and the market. It also links to our civic buildings like the town hall and Walsh Building, and town centre businesses – including the Dewsbury Arcade, which is set to reopen next year.
What are the plans?
We’re going to make the area around the town hall much more attractive, and create a safer and more inviting route for people throughout the day. This is going to involve changes to parking and pedestrianisation, with one of our aims being to introduce more accessible parking spaces closer to our civic buildings and the town centre shops.
After these initial improvements, we’re going to install more greenery and seating, encouraging more passers-by to stop, socialise and enjoy the space. As with lots of our different developments across Dewsbury – and the whole of Kirklees – we want to create flexible spaces which will not only make this area more attractive but could also be used in lots of different ways – from general socialising to fabulous open-air events.
We’re then going to create a unique new amphitheatre, which will be a fabulous focal point for the space – and will also provide less opportunity for antisocial behaviour than the bandstand which has previously stood next to the town hall. The suggested designs for the amphitheatre include some artistic use of disused railway tracks – inspired by this spot once being the site of Dewsbury’s original railway station, and how important that connectivity is in the town’s past and its future!
Down the line, we’ve got further development planned for Market Place – which links Longcauseway with Northgate, the main traffic route through Dewsbury town centre. These improvements will take place after the decant of Dewsbury Market (which will involve a temporary market on Market Place for the duration of the construction work) and should bring great benefits to the newly reopened market and arcade along with other town centre businesses.
What’s happening now?
We’re getting ready to start the first stage of work on 5 August. This stage of work should take about 20 weeks to complete, finishing before Christmas this year. During this period, Longcauseway, Wakefield Old Road and Town Hall Way (the roads covered by the improvements) will all be closed – but the car park of Wakefield Old Road will stay open as usual.
In preparation, you’ll notice we’ve already removed the bandstand which has previously stood beside the town hall. Its new home will be just over a mile away in Crow Nest Park, where it can be better used and celebrated in a prettier new setting. Before it’s put up in the park – which helpfully already has a purpose-built platform for the bandstand, its original one having been dismantled in the ‘60s – the structure is going to undergo some careful TLC to restore it to its former glory.
Councillor Graham Turner, Cabinet Member for Finance & Regeneration, says:
“These improvements are all about connection. We want to connect our town centre businesses, old and new, and help the rejuvenated market and arcade thrive once they’re completed. We want to make our civic buildings more inviting and nicer places to be – not just for the vital services they provide the community, but also for the fantastic public events they host. This first round of work will make Dewsbury more safe and pleasant for people on foot, and create more accessible parking close to all these buildings and businesses, making the town centre work better for everyone.
“I’m also excited about the way these plans honour Dewsbury’s heritage, relocating our beautiful bandstand to a spot where it can be better enjoyed, then creating a brand new amphitheatre which pays homage to the spot’s roots as Dewsbury’s original railway station.
“This is a prime example of how our blueprint approach means looking at Dewsbury as a whole, not just piece by piece or project by project. Dewsbury is a beautiful town with lots of moving parts, and we need all these different elements to connect and help each other succeed.”
Keith Ramsay, Chair of the Dewsbury Town Board, says:
“Dewsbury Town Hall has been home to the Town Board since its inception, and we know the place it has in the heart of Dewsbury. This is an opportunity for us to link lots of different regeneration plans within Dewsbury town centre, continue to design out crime and antisocial behaviour, and create beautiful places where people can really enjoy spending time.
“This holistic approach is crucial to make sure all the blueprint projects succeed, and that – particularly as we look forward to investment through the government’s Long-Term Plan in ‘Our Future Dewsbury’ – this influx of regeneration for our town is only the beginning.”