Village Centre Improvements, Marsden & Slaithwaite

Project Champion: Tom Lonsdale

Vision:

To create a high quality environment in the village centres which consider parking, paving, disabled access, public art and street furniture.

Achievements to date:

A major design survey has been commissioned and the main recommendations are now being considered by the Renaissance steering group, Kirklees Council and Yorkshire Forward, with a view to seeking funds for implementation.

Targets for the next twelve months:

Two packages of work are likely: One a relatively modest 'housekeeping' exercise, addressing signage and clutter reduction, which can be managed by the community. The other will involve more ambitious changes, such as altering the design of the highway and changes to traffic management. This would need to managed by Kirklees Council, when funds permit.

Early indications have been that the type of work does not ideally match Yorkshire Forward’s criteria for funding priority. There has also been uncertainty about the relationship between the village centre enhancements and major development initiatives such as New Mills in Brougham Road, Marsden and Globe Mill, Slaithwaite.

The following documents have been produced as a result of this project:

• Village Centre Enhancement manuals for Slaithwaite & Marsden (to be published and available shortly)