Work begins on revitalisation of town hall area

Work to revitalise Dewsbury town centre enters its second phase this week, with improvements to the outdoor space around the town hall.

A construction team will begin work to replace paving outside Dewsbury Town Hall, with more trees and shrubs planted in the surrounding area in the hope of encouraging footfall in the town.

In addition, the southern part of Town Hall Way is set to be pedestrianised, with the aim of making the town centre safer and more accessible.

As part of the works, the town hall will be closed on Friday and Saturday (4 and 5 April), with no public access during this time.

Graham Turner, Kirklees Council's cabinet member for finance and regeneration, said: "This next phase of investment in Dewsbury is yet another example of ours and our partners' commitment to creating a revitalised Dewsbury town centre that is safe, and an attractive place to both shop and spend time in."

"With much more investment planned over the next few years, I believe that Dewsbury will become an example of how investment in regeneration can create something special for our residents," he said.

The improvements in and around Dewsbury Town Hall are part-funded by the government and Kirklees Council, with an earlier phase focusing on the roads and paths in the immediate vicinity of the town hall.

The final - third - phase is due to begin this summer, with plans to improve the steps leading to Memorial Square and the area around the memorial. The council also plans to replace the bandstand with an amphitheatre.

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.