Dewsbury town park: A park for a greener town
Our vision
Our ambition is to make Dewsbury a destination town by introducing more green space to showcase the town's heritage assets as well as improve and extend existing public spaces.
The Greener Town project is in tune with the economic changes that are happening across the country, by improving and extending the public realm, we will make Dewsbury town centre a more attractive, pleasant, and safe place to spend time.
Providing open space for people to enjoy, gather for events, relax, and connect with different parts of the town is our main aim. We want to create a park that can be accessed by everyone regardless of their abilities or age.
This project was first approved as a concept within proposals for the Dewsbury Strategic Development Framework (2010) and became part of Dewsbury Blueprint in 2020.
Following this, a set of objectives were developed for the park.
- A space for community togetherness - enjoying events, sporting activities, festivals, retail and leisure activities.
- A diverse town centre with more than just retail, that focuses on bringing the community together to make use of shared space.
- A local landmark where people will want to take part in community activities.
- A place for people living in the town centre to come together to eat, relax and enjoy their surroundings.
- A natural space that can boost community spirit.
- An attractive town centre that would encourage new businesses to get started in vacant locations and thrive.
- A new space to visit and explore.
- A comfortable viewing spot for Dewsbury's many buildings of high architectural quality.
- A resting spot for shoppers and town centre workers.
- A place to encourage families and friends to remain in the town centre for longer.
- A central point that connects different buildings and areas such as the Town Hall, Princess of Wales precinct, car parks, and the market.
- A pedestrian and cyclist-friendly space, creating a lively town full of energy that will attract both locals and visitors from outside the area.
- New trees, shrubs, and planting will improve the local environment, increase biodiversity and extend existing natural surroundings.
- Better quality green space for residents and visitors.
- Reduced noise pollution from nearby traffic.
- Increased connection to the natural landscape, providing opportunities to connect with nature.
- Access to a welcoming and relaxing green space at a central location.
- A people-focused core for the town centre.
- Providing opportunities for people to enjoy nature and the outdoors, which are vital for health and wellbeing.
- Reduced air pollution through reduced congestion and tree planting.
The project team continues to work with key stakeholders, including councillors and Dewsbury Town Board.
Consultation on Dewsbury Blueprint suggested that in order to improve the attractiveness of the town the below should be improved upon:
- Current greenspace and park areas.
- Introduction of new greenery will help towards the reduction of overall noise & air pollution.
The Town Deal consultation highlighted support for prioritising parks and open spaces.
The 2021 Dewsbury Town Park consultation concluded that 62% were in favour of a new park in Dewsbury.
Latest news
The results of the second stage consultation will be considered by the project team, councillors and Dewsbury Town Board. The feedback collated will help us to finalise the designs.
What's Next
In early 2023, the project team will share the final design with councillors and Dewsbury Town Board.
Subject to the approval of the final design and approach, a planning application for the scheme will be submitted in the summer of 2023.
The council will oversee the construction of the park and the parks team will be responsible for the upkeep and maintenance.
The estimated cost of the project is £14.3m. Funding for the park's construction will come from Kirklees Council and Dewsbury Town Deal. An application has been made for a further £6.25m of from the Town Fund with a decision awaiting.
If agreed, construction will commence on the town park by early 2025.
The journey so far
So far, we have completed two stages of consultation which we asked you to give us your feedback on.
Visit our consultation pages to review the plans for each stage and find out the results.
- Dewsbury Town Park Project Team
- Email Dewsbury-Town-Park@Kirklees.gov.uk
Was this information useful?
We'd like your feedback to improve the Kirklees Council website and the information we provide.