Agenda item

To receive updates on the following projects:

· Sustainable Transport Modes

· Arcade

· Market

· Daisy Hill

· Town Park – Public Realm

· Building Grant Revival Scheme

· Kirklees Build

Contact: Michelle Illingworth, Project Officer, Town Investment Plan.

              Andy Raleigh, Economic Resilience Manager, Development,

              Major Projects.

To note the Project Update including:

1.    Sustainable Transport Modes

2.    Arcade

3.    Market

4.    Daisy Hill

5.    Town Park – Public Realm

6.    Building Grant Revival Scheme

7.    Kirklees Build

Contact:        Michelle Illingworth, Economic Resilience Project Officer, Dewsbury Town Investment Plan.

                     Andy Raleigh, Economic Resilience Manager

RESOLVED:

1)    That the Project Update be noted.

2)    That a site visit be arranged for the Skills Village.

The Board received an update on the nine schemes that had been part of the Town Deal.

Andy Raleigh, Town Centre Regeneration Programme Manager, advised that Bond Street/Northgate was a key project to prioritise active travel throughout the town centre and would commence on-site within the next week. There was a new opportunity to improve the Bond Street junction with Northgate to achieve the objective of handing back priority to pedestrians. Corporation Street was to become right turn only and an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order would be in place for at least six months to allow for feedback on how well it works. It was hoped that it would stop “rat running” through the town centre, reduce volume of traffic and improve air quality, while the addition of a zebra crossing further prioritised pedestrians.

The Arcade was in its fifth month of construction. Roof works were underway and being carried out by a Dewsbury company, and the glazing had been removed. The architectural masonry was taking place, with Kirklees College students gaining experience from the architectural stone masons which was a rare and valuable opportunity. Ducting work for all the services had commenced. Surveys for window restoration had been carried out and deterioration had been found in the timber which was now under further investigation. £616,000 had been secured from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to fund this work. Kirklees College photography students were monitoring the progress of the scheme and their work could be seen on the hoardings.

Michelle Illingworth, Project Officer, updated the Board on the Better Spaces – Public Realm Works, outside Dewsbury Town Hall. Phase One of the Town Hall Way works had commenced, to configure where the parking bays would be, and would continue until December 2024. Phase Two works on the Town Hall apron were to begin in October 2024 and continue until February 2025, with the Memorial Gardens work beginning in February and running until May 2025.

Palvinder Singh, Kirklees College, updated the Board on the history of the Construction Skills Village, Kirklees Build project and advised that 32 learners were now using the modular unit, which was used on a real building site to provide a true life training programme to the construction students of Kirklees College. Members of the Board were invited to attend a site visit of the Skills Village in order to gain a greater understanding of the project.

Mr Raleigh gave an update on the Market. The Market Planning application had been submitted in August and the determination date was expected to be 16^th November 2024. In order to ensure the market continued during the construction, options were being considered by the markets team. Traders had been offered interviews and many of these had taken place in the summer to get their views on what would be required.

During discussions the Board raised concerns around market traders’ views and felt that these had not been taken into account. The Chair advised that consultation had been public and ongoing for a variety of stakeholders, including the market traders and suggested that a meeting be set up with the market traders.

RESOLVED -  

1)    That the Project Update be noted.

2)    That a site visit be arranged for the Construction Skills Village.