Final designs of £14.5m town centre plan revealed

The upgrade is set to cost £14.5m, said the council

The final plans for improvements to a town centre including more public spaces, improved accessibility and less traffic have been revealed.

The £14.5m upgrade for Batley will also improve safety by prioritising pedestrians and cyclists and building better crossing points, Kirklees Council said.

Construction work on the scheme, covering Western, Middle and Eastern Commercial Street, Brunswick Street and Market Place, are expected to get under way next autumn.

"These plans will improve accessibility for all in the town centre as well as creating vibrant new public spaces for people to meet, socialise and explore the great businesses in the heart of Batley," a spokesperson said.

New images show Market Place partially levelled with new steps, utilities for stalls and events and improved walking, cycling and wheeling routes.

Western Commercial Street will have expanded public space with planting, street furniture and measures to "discourage pavement parking".

Middle Commercial Street will be prioritised for pedestrians and cyclists with restricted vehicle access, new on-street parking and improved pedestrian links to the car park.

On Eastern Commercial Street there are plans to pedestrianise the road with improved crossing points and two-way access to The Taproom from Wellington Street.

Meanwhile on the Commercial Link, there will be a new public space, creating an "inviting landscaped route" from Tesco car park to Commercial Street, featuring ramps, steps, and public art celebrating Batley.

Brunswick Street will be designed to echo The Commercial Link with soft landscaping, shallow steps and sustainable urban drainage to manage surface water.

The project will cover Western, Middle and Eastern Commercial Street, Brunswick Street and Market Place

Additional measures will also include closing the eastern side Commercial Street and enforcing a 20mph speed limit.

Councillor Graham Turner said: "We have carefully considered the views of residents and businesses, while also carrying out traffic modelling over the spring and summer helping to inform the design, to create a scheme that delivers for Batley."

The project's funding is from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, Kirklees Council's Local Centres funding and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Mr Turner added: "We will continue to provide key updates as construction gets underway and keep the disruption to a minimum for everyone where possible."

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