27.05.20
Kirklees Council makes £250m Blueprint part of planning policy
Kirklees Council’s Cabinet gave the green light yesterday (May 26) for the £250m Huddersfield Blueprint to be part of planning policy, following the extensive input of local people.
The Blueprint is now agreed as a Supplementary Planning Document, making it an official guideline for all town centre development, ensuring all are all in line with the vision.
The move also makes it easier to secure future funding bids and factors in comments and suggestions from residents that came through a three-month engagement process last year.
Cllr Peter McBride, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said:
“This is a really significant step towards delivering our vision for Huddersfield Town Centre.
“Our Blueprint is a well thought-out plan which is based on years of research and consultation with local people, businesses and organisations and it’s the right way forward for the town.
“We can have visions and ideas but we can’t always influence other developments. By making the Blueprint a Supplementary Planning Document we can use it as an official policy to work with developers and deliver a thriving, modern-day town centre.”
Thanks to public feedback, changes have been identified for the Blueprint, including a new section on national and local context, supporting the drivers behind the Blueprint.
More of a focus will be put on ensuring basic council services are improved such as parking and cleanliness, with emphasis on the Kirklees Council’s commitment to addressing the Climate Emergency.
Projects such as the TransPennine Route railway upgrade, Better Connected Station and Huddersfield market have also been updated within the plan to better cater for partners in the areas.
Last week it was also announced that the Council is submitting a bid to bring a National Rugby League Museum to the George Hotel to boost the £250m regeneration vision.
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