Final designs revealed for Batley town centre’s £14.5m regeneration
The £14.5m project will transform the town centre
Kirklees Council’s final designs for Batley town centre have been revealed in new images, with works due to get underway next autumn.
The £14.5m project will transform the town’s public realm covering Western, Middle and Eastern Commercial Street, Brunswick Street and Market Place. The council says the plans will significantly enhance accessibility, calm traffic, improve safety, and create new public spaces. The proposed changes shown on the images below include:
Market Place: Partially levelled, with new steps, utilities for stalls and events, and improved walking, cycling, and wheeling routes.
Western Commercial Street: Expanded public space with planting, street furniture, and measures to discourage pavement parking.
Middle Commercial Street: Prioritised for pedestrians and cyclists, with restricted vehicle access, new on-street parking, and improved pedestrian links to the car park.
Eastern Commercial Street: Road to be pedestrianised to create a safer environment for people with improved crossing points, and two-way access to The Taproom from Wellington Street.
The Commercial Link: A new public space, creating an inviting landscaped route from Tesco car park to Commercial Street, featuring ramps, steps, and public art celebrating Batley.
Brunswick Street: Designed to echo The Commercial Link with soft landscaping, shallow steps, and Sustainable Urban Drainage to manage surface water.
The designs being progressed by Kirklees Council also include additional measures introduced to enhance pedestrian safety including closing Eastern side Commercial Street and enforcing a 20mph speed-limit on Commercial Street through several traffic-calming features.
Councillor Graham Turner, Cabinet Member for Finance and Regeneration, said: “We have carefully considered the views of residents and businesses, while also carrying out traffic modelling over the spring and summer helping to inform the design, to create a scheme that delivers for Batley.
“These plans will improve accessibility for all in the town centre as well as creating vibrant new public spaces for people to meet, socialise and explore the great businesses in the heart of Batley.
“We will continue to provide key updates as construction gets underway and keep the disruption to a minimum for everyone where possible.”
Twelve million pounds of the funding is coming from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, supported by approximately £2.5m from Kirklees Council’s Local Centres funding and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
The regeneration of Batley town centre is part of the Batley Blueprint which has several aims: improving movement around the town centre, promoting sustainable travel, enhancing public spaces for all, developing a family-friendly atmosphere, encouraging social interaction, and creating a safe and welcoming environment.