Extra cash allocated as Dewsbury Market scheme set to go over budget
Extra cash has been allocated for the Dewsbury Market scheme, which is set to exceed its original budget by more than £3.5m.
The project, which also encompasses a brand new town park, previously had a budget of £22.51m made up of cash from the government’s Towns Fund and Kirklees Council’s capital funding. But inflation and the length of time the scheme has been going on for has seen costs rise.
Now, it is expected to end up with a £26.16m price tag, including the cost of the decant market (£656,000) and a storage compound at Cliffe Street (£142,000).
The £3.65m gap will be funded by reallocating unspent government grant and council match funding from other projects within the Town Deal Programme which have either been paused or completed under budget.
At a meeting of the Dewsbury Neighbourhood Board earlier this month, members agreed to redirect £1.087m in unused cash.
Similarly, in August 2025, just under £1.3m was reallocated to the Dewsbury Arcade project to remedy multiple unforeseen issues.
The town park will be the largest green space within the town centre, and the first dedicated outdoor area for children to play and socialise.
It will blend into the market’s outdoor offering, which will have space for food and drink to be enjoyed outside, along with demountable stalls and space for events.
The indoor market will also be designed to accommodate a variety of markets and events.
Dewsbury Market and the town park are two key components in the wider Dewsbury Blueprint. Once completed, they will sit side by side in the centre of the town.
Planning permission was secured last summer and the council is currently out to tender for a construction partner.
Existing traders are due to be decanted to the temporary site across Market Place, Longcauseway and Foundry Street, this spring, with work on the main market site expected to take around 18 to 24 months.