Brighouse Deal begins with £19 million of investment on the way

The Brighouse Deal aims to showcase the objectives of the project and the specific schemes which will now be developed in the coming months with final proposals being submitted to government in the summer.

The focus will be on writing the next chapter in the story of Brighouse by building a town where history lives, communities come together, and memories are made.

The Brighouse Town Deal Board, who put together the bid after an extensive consultation with residents and businesses and are now responsible for turning the vision into reality, are encouraging everyone to visit the new website www.brighousedeal.co.uk, discover the deal and sign up to receive updated as the plans develop.

The projects are all based around four objectives:

Place – reinvigorating Brighouse town centre as a distinctive destination for the community, Calderdale and beyond.

Health, Wellbeing & Sustainability – improve links between the town centre and green spaces to provide access to nature and encourage health and wellbeing improvements by making walking and cycling more attractive.

Enterprise – build on the town’s manufacturing history, encourage trade and investment across the Leeds City Region and across the UK and the world.

Inclusive Growth – provide greater access to skills and employment with a focus on apprenticeships and vocational learning and encouraging businesses to grow and create jobs.

Delivering these objectives will be achieved by a series of schemes which are being developed into full business cases in the months ahead before being presented to government:

A town that is welcoming for all – creating a welcoming, vibrant and thriving town which encourages walking, cycling and public transport while recognising the importance of roads to residents, businesses and visitors.

Shops & events that put us on the map – encouraging more people to come to the town centre by giving them more to do at all times of the day and night meaning they spend longer and spend more.

A canal that connects – improving accessibility to the canalside from the town centre, making it a more attractive environment and creating community and events spaces.

A market we can be even more proud of – supporting the traders already doing all they can to attract shoppers and encouraging more to sell by developing a new market at the heart of the town centre.

An economy that generates sustainable growth – making sure that, as business recover from Covid-19, there is tangible support for businesses across the town to keep them and help them grow sustainability.

Opportunities for everyone – providing access to education, apprenticeships and jobs to ensure young people have a strong future in Brighouse, including by providing new opportunities for town centre living.

The official launch of The Brighouse Deal aims to start a conversation about the specific plans for these approved schemes as the detailed business cases are developed.

Coun Sophie Whittaker, Co-Chair of the Brighouse Town Deal Board, said: “Brighouse has a growing reputation as one of the best places to live, work and visit and we want to ensure we keep improving the town we love. There are not many opportunities to get £19 million to invest in our community and I am excited by the projects it will allow us to deliver.

“The Deal has been developed by taking on board your priorities, it has been approved by government and it is now time for it to be delivered. To make sure we maximise the change the money can make, we want the whole of Brighouse to be part of its future. So, please, find out more about what is planned and as the schemes are developed in the months ahead we hope everyone will have their say.

“2022 is set to be an exciting year as we start to write a new chapter in the story of Brighouse.”

The Town Deal Board is made up of representatives from the community, voluntary sector, business and industry and Calderdale Council and there is now an appeal for more of those groups, particularly those who have a direct interest in the proposed schemes, to join.

Community representative Jason Carlton said it is important to have a wide range of views on the Town Deal Board: “I know many people think that groups such as these can be talking shops that do not get anything done. The Town Deal Board is not one of those.

"We have £19 million of hard-won money from government and we need to make sure it is spent in a way that delivers the best value and the best long-term change for residents, businesses and visitors.

“Ensuring we have the views of everyone on the Board is important so whatever your age or background, if you have a passion for our town and want to have a real say on its future, please consider getting involved and applying to join.”

More details about how to sign up can be found at www.brighousedeal.co.uk/theboard