New plans revealed for area surrounding Dewsbury Town Hall including unique new amphitheatre

The development will initially cover Longcauseway, Wakefield Old Road and Town Hall Way.

The improvements aim to make the area more attractive and inviting, creating “a safer and more inviting thoroughfare to drive more footfall throughout the day”.

The changes are also aimed at reducing crime and anti-social behaviour in the town centre.

Keith Ramsay, chairman of the Dewsbury Town Board, said: “This is a vital space within Dewsbury town centre. It links so many key areas, and key projects within the blueprint plans.

"Having a town centre that looks and feels safe and inviting – somewhere people will want to spend time – is crucial to the success of all these big plans.

“It’s also great that we’re finding more ways to honour Dewsbury’s history and heritage through these designs, which is something we’re keen to do across the board.

"Dewsbury has a rich history, and as we talk about returning the town to its former glory it’s important that we celebrate where we’ve come from, as well as looking forward.”

These plans are part of the wider Dewsbury Blueprint, Kirklees Council’s overarching strategy to regenerate the town centre.

The public space is currently a thoroughfare between Dewsbury Bus Station and Dewsbury Market, which also links civic buildings such as the town hall and Walsh Building, and town centre businesses, including Dewsbury Arcade, which is set to re-open next year.

The council will be installing more greenery and seating, encouraging passersby to stop, socialise and enjoy the space.

The council is aiming to create “flexible spaces which not only make the area more attractive but could also support a variety of different uses – from general socialising to open-air events”.

A unique new amphitheatre will be created, which would serve as a focal point for the space.

Suggested designs for the amphitheatre feature artistic use of disused railway tracks – inspired by the area once being the site of Dewsbury’s original railway station, and the importance of that connectivity in the town’s past and its future.

The bandstand which currently stands outside the town hall will be relocated, with the aim of “allowing the structure to be better used and celebrated in a picturesque new setting”.

It is hoped that removing the bandstand from its current location will help reduce anti-social behaviour in the area, and – alongside other blueprint plans – help make Dewsbury town centre “a safer and more family-friendly environment from day through to evening”.

One potential site for the bandstand’s relocation is Crow Nest Park – which already has a purpose-built raised platform, its original bandstand having been dismantled for safety reasons in the 1960s.

This move could also support future outdoor events in the park, as well as in the town centre.

The town centre development will also involve changes to parking and pedestrianisation, with one of the council’s aims being to introduce more accessible parking spaces close to the civic buildings and town centre shops.

The council will be launching a public consultation specifically focused on these elements over the coming months, so that local residents and businesses can get involved and have their say.

Following this consultation, work is planned to start outside the town hall over the summer, funded by the Government’s Towns Fund, with match funding from Kirklees Council.

Further development is planned for Market Place – which links Longcauseway with Northgate, the main traffic route through Dewsbury town centre.

Improvements to Market Place will be undertaken after the decant of Dewsbury Market – which will involve a temporary market being installed on Market Place for the duration of construction work – which the council hopes will benefit the newly re-opened market and arcade, along with other town centre businesses.

Joanne Bartholomew, Kirklees Council’s service director for growth and regeneration, said: “These plans are the latest in a lot of big steps for the Dewsbury Blueprint over a short space of time.

"When you look at the amount of development taking place over the next few years, the changes are going to be huge.

“This new public space will better connect our town centre businesses, old and new, helping the market and arcade to thrive once completed.

"It will also improve the environment of our civic buildings, which serve an important purpose in the town – providing lots of services, workspaces and great public events.

"It’s vitally important that these buildings be a welcoming space for the public, in order to serve this purpose.

“The key thing these plans show is that we’re looking at Dewsbury as a whole, not just piece by piece.

"This is a beautiful town with a lot of moving parts, and we need all these different elements to connect and help each other succeed.”