Drop-in sessions to be held as locals urged to shape £10m regeneration plans for Holmfirth
The £10.3m Holmfirth Town Centre Access Plan is designed to make the town more accessible.
As work continues on Holmfirth’s multi-million pound regeneration plan, residents and businesses are invited to bring their questions to the local library.
The £10.3m Holmfirth Town Centre Access Plan (HTCAP) is designed to reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions, improve journey times, encourage active travel and make the town more accessible. The scheme makes up part of the village’s wider ‘Blueprint’ project, with work beginning last March.
Despite some bumps in the road – namely the unexpected bursting of a water main in May – this year has seen some major strides made. By June, several improvements had been made to the footpaths in the town centre. The footway between Victoria Street along to the entrance of the bus station on Towngate, was completed, along with gully upgrades, Yorkstone kerbs and flagging, traffic signals, new cycle stands and lay-by improvements.
Works to lay new Yorkstone paving, kerbing and block paving got underway along Towngate to Dunford Road. Now, new traffic signals have also been installed, as has tactile pedestrian crossings in some areas.
The old market hall has already been demolished and major progress has been made in improving and extending the adjacent Huddersfield Road Car Park. The process of inserting structural piles into the ground which will become the base of the building to evenly distribute weight, referred to as ‘piling’ has now begun in this area.
One works have been completed at the market hall site, the space will include a community events and market space, electric vehicle charging points, a slightly increased number of parking bays from 24 to 26, and cycle parking. The council says better located disabled parking bays will also be a feature.
However, some local businesses say they have suffered as a result of the ongoing work. Just earlier this month, a much-loved footwear shop – Peak Footwear – closed its doors for good, with owner, Karen Trimming, describing the town centre improvement works as the “nail in the coffin”, along with social media “negativity”.
Anyone interested in the works can attend regular drop-in sessions at Holmfirth Library on Huddersfield Road. The next events are on: Tuesday, October 9, 5pm – 6:30pm; Tuesday, November 11, 5pm – 6:30pm; and Tuesday, December 9, 5pm – 6:30pm. The council’s Public Liaison Officer will be at Holmfirth Library on Tuesday mornings from 10am – 11am.