By Joshua Robinson – 

The new plan for the Dewsbury market is to attract more people to the town centre. The plans include creating more areas for eating, drinking, socialising, and events.

To accomplish this new plans have also been made for the surrounding area alongside the market.

What Are The Plans?

The new designs for the market highlight key points of the Dewsbury Blueprint, and two priorities from both Kirklees Council and Dewsbury Town Deal Board – the regeneration of the market, and the creation of a new town park.

The new market will consist of permanent indoor stalls and flexible outdoor stalls, which will be on an open paved area right outside the market hall. This paved area will then extend into a wider public park.

An aim for the parties behind the plans is to restore the historic market hall, future-proofing its glass roof and metal architecture whilst also. The market will be open throughout the week, with a selection of food and drink vendors.

Want the latest news in Kirklees sent directly to your phone? Join the KLTV WhatsApp Community today!

The plan is to make the indoor and outdoor feel more light, open, and better connected. Stalls will be visible from both the outdoor and indoor market. There will also be seating out on the paved area beyond the market hall. The outdoor stalls can all be taken down, allowing additional space for outdoor events.

All these plans have taken into account previous consultation on the original town park proposals, as well as the market.

While the plans for the town park have changed to benefit the plans for the market, there will still be improvements to the public realm (shared outdoor spaces) in the original location suggested for the park (outside the town hall). There are plans to plant new trees and install a small amphitheatre.

The Walsh Building will be remaining, which is currently home to the Customer Service Centre in Dewsbury, with the plans aiming to improve both its surroundings and accessibility.

What Happens Next?

Following the announcement of the new plans for the combined market and park, more consultation with Dewsbury Market traders have begun.

Once this stage of consultation has finished, stallholders will move in early 2025 to a temporary market site in the town centre, to allow construction work to begin.

How Is The Work Funded? 

This project is being paid for by the government’s Towns Fund and by capital funding from the council.  Find out more about how funding works.