£1.4m plan to revamp busiest street in Keighley
Cavendish Street in Keighley is one of the town’s grandest streets, and is currently one of the busiest roads in the District.
Last updated 19th Mar 2026
A TOWN centre Conservation Area street will get a £1.4m upgrade that will include widened pavements and tree planting.
Cavendish Street in Keighley is one of the town’s grandest streets, and is currently one of the busiest roads in the District.
Bradford Council has this week announced some major changes to the road, including new parking bays set back from the main road, “rain gardens,” more pedestrian crossings, street furniture and new York stone pavements.
Cavendish Street has some of the most impressive architecture in the Bradford District. It lies within a Conservation Area, and many of the buildings are listed.
The Conservation Area appraisal for Keighley town centre describes the street by saying: “Cavendish Street became a grand Victorian shopping street, the facades of which were intended to impress visitors as they arrived from the new railway station which opened in 1883.
“All of the new buildings were ornate, and worthy of a town of such wealth and prestige as a result of its industrial might, and they reflect the strong sense of civic pride that had developed.”
The £1.4m for the refurbishment works will come from the Keighley Towns Fund – a pot of cash awarded to the town by the previous Conservative Government.
A statement from Bradford Council said: “Public realm improvements, which would be delivered by Bradford Council’s Landscape Design and Conservation team, would include widening the pavements and a full tree planting scheme as well as the installation new high-quality street furniture, such as new benches and bins.”
Bradford Council’s Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Transport and Planning Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw added: “Transforming Cavendish Street will have a huge impact on the way Keighley looks and feels. Cavendish Street features some incredible architecture and the proposals will complement and enhance this.
“We hope to really improve the centre with these works in the same way Low Street has been upgraded, to encourage increased footfall and support local businesses.”
The current traffic circulation would be retained with parking and loading organised into bays set back from the main carriageway. Pedestrian movement would be eased by narrowing the road and installing new pelican crossings.
Tim Rogers, Chair of the Keighley Towns Fund, added: “This will be a significant transformative project for the Towns Fund, following on from the delivery of our previous successful work such as the creation of Providence Park.
“High streets are changing in towns across the country and we want to make sure Keighley town centre is a place residents and visitors want to come and spend their time for years to come.”
The final designs for the scheme are likely to be finalised over the coming months with work expected to start later this year in two phases.
The first fund will cover the north side of the street and will be funded through the Keighley Towns Fund. The second phase will cover the south side and the Council are actively looking for additional funding to deliver this phase.