Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities visited Batley to take stock of development plans for the city
Mr Gove was shown the council’s transformational plans for Batley town centre.
The aim is for the project to be largely funded by a successful Levelling Up Fund bid for £12,372,018, with £2,623,495 match funding from Kirklees Council and WYCA’s Streets for People initiative, totalling £14,995,513 for the project.
The scheme will help to make Commercial Street a nicer place to visit, work and spend time – the eastern end (between Wards Hill and Wellington Street/Hick Lane) will be closed to general traffic and the western end will be improved with wider footpaths and better crossings.
Together, these measures will help reduce the amount of traffic on Commercial Street with a focus on improving place and people’s wellbeing. The scheme also aims to transform the public realm to create a ‘destination’, encouraging people to spend more time and socialise in a safe and more inviting environment.
The proposals see the Commercial Street scheme being completed in in two phases. Phase one will involve the delivery of improvements at the western end between Branch Road and Wards Hill. This initial phase will utilise secured funding from the Streets for People allocation via the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and from the council’s local centres fund.
Phase two would see the delivery of improvements at the eastern end between Wards Hill and Wellington Street/ Hick Lane. This phase is subject to securing full funding from the Levelling Up Fund.
Market Place forms the main open space within Batley town centre. The space doesn’t currently maximise its potential as a key destination within the town due to parking, traffic noise, limited active use and a lack of good quality resting opportunities.
The proposals include the removal of car parking and designating Market Place and Cambridge Street as one-way to free up space for pop up markets and similar events. The introduction a water feature, public art and planting will also provide play opportunities and strengthens the identity of the town centre whilst retaining multifunctional space for markets and events.
There are also plans to improve accessibility across the town centre and in key areas, such as around the existing Tesco, and the possibility of putting the JBM building into retail use.
Image: West Yorkshire Combined Authority
Leader of Kirklees Council, Councillor Shabir Pandor, said:“I am pleased to have been able to show Michael Gove, in person, the level of ambition we have in Kirklees. Investment in our towns and villages is vital if they are to thrive again. A successful Levelling Up Fund bid would make a world of difference to the residents, businesses and visitors to Batley.
“Our towns and villages are unrivalled in terms of potential for destination-making and we need the government to share and support our vision.”
The council has submitted four Levelling Up Fund bids focussed on improvements to Batley, Marsden, Northumberland Street market, Huddersfield, and the Penistone railway line.
