Holmfirth Blueprint work to begin this Summer
The town will receive a £9m boost over the next few years
Holmfirth is set to receive a £9m cash injection over the coming years as the council moves a step closer to delivering the town’s blueprint plans.
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) has just approved Kirklees Council’s business case for the Town Centre Access Plan which is the heart of the Holmfirth Blueprint. This follows a round of public consultation which received a largely positive response.
The scheme will introduce wider pavements and better crossings, creating more space for pedestrians – who make up a substantial amount of the visitors to the town centre. The council says it will also find ways to balance the needs of traffic with those using active transport and reassess parking in the town centre.
This includes creating a new multi-use car park and events space – mirroring aspirations in Huddersfield and Dewsbury as well as introducing electric vehicle (EV) charging points, and providing easier access to disabled parking spaces. These plans will open the town centre up for more people to enjoy.
Now that the business case is approved, the council has moved towards securing £7.47m of funding for the project. Work on the Access Plan is due to commence this summer.
As part of the wider Blueprint, the council is also looking at how key spaces in Holmfirth could be repurposed to bring even more variety and vibrancy to the town centre. Relocating the Royal Mail sorting office to a location outside the town centre could also free up space for a new development which would add more to Holmfirth’s charm.
Elsewhere the River Holme, which gives Holmfirth its name and is a huge part of the town’s history, will be made a more picturesque feature in the town centre again. This objective received the most public support, with 91% agreeing with plans to open up views over the water and create access closer to the water’s edge, as well as improving the river environment itself.
Holmfirth is one of four towns for which Kirklees Council is currently developing blueprint plans, alongside Batley, Heckmondwike and Cleckheaton. These blueprints will help lay out the next 10 to 15 years of development for each of the town centres, following in the footsteps of the Huddersfield and Dewsbury Blueprints announced in 2019 and 2021.
Councillor Graham Turner, Cabinet Member for Growth & Regeneration, said: “Our blueprint plans across Kirklees are about preserving the heritage of our towns and villages, while giving them the brightest possible future. Holmfirth is already one of Kirklees’ bustling beauty spots, and we now want to celebrate and enhance that identity as much as possible.
