Multi-million pound improvements planned for town centre

Kirklees Council has submitted a planning application to enhance Holmfirth town centre.

The Holmfirth Town Centre Access Plan is a £3.9m project which will see improvements throughout the town centre.

It includes the demolition of the former market hall building and extension of the adjacent Huddersfield Road car park. It is this part of the scheme that requires planning permission.

The application has now been submitted for the creation of a new multi-use Huddersfield Road car park and event space.

Kirklees Council is developing the scheme with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) to make the town centre more attractive, improve journey times, ease congestion, and improve overall access for residents and visitors.

The proposed changes to the market hall and Huddersfield Road car park include knocking down the market hall building to increase the number of parking spaces and the relocation of disabled bays.

The plan is for the new car park to be able to host events and markets thanks to the inclusion of multiple water and electricity points. There will also be two electric vehicle charging points.

As well as proposals for a new car park, the council intends to add three new footways between Huddersfield Road and Hollowgate to improve movement through the town.

It is also proposed the bridge over the River Holme will be replaced with a wider deck providing improved views of the river and opportunities for additional event space, cycle parking and seating.

Councillor Shabir Pandor, Kirklees Council leader, said: “I am pleased that we are moving forward with our plans for Holmfirth town centre.

“These proposals will re-purpose the town centre, making it a vibrant place to be and will enhance the areas for festivals.

“It will provide much-needed improvements for pedestrians, whilst still improving traffic flow through the area.

“Holmfirth is one of the many places in Kirklees that attracts large numbers of visitors, we are confident that these changes will improve the experience of the town centre for residents and visitors alike.”

A decision on the application is expected on 15 September 2021.

The scheme forms part of wider plans to improve road access across Kirklees and is funded through the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund.