The next phase for Kirklees Dewsbury Riverside Development has been approved at Strategic Planning Committee.
The site was marked for development as part of the Kirklees Local Plan in 2019. It will deliver up to 4,000 new homes over the next decade. As the aim is to create not just new homes but new communities, the project will also deliver infrastructure including schools, open spaces, and local facilities.
Once started, these initial works should take around 20 weeks to complete. The full Dewsbury Riverside project will take shape alongside the Dewsbury Blueprint over the next ten years.
Strategic Planning Committee granted planning permission based on full details of the first phase of access road into the site, and outline details for the provision of new community facilities and up to 350 new homes.
The application also supports the delivery of high-quality pedestrian and cycle facilities connecting to the new signalised site access junction at the existing Forge Lane / Lees Hall Road junction, as well as the ability to connect to the new Ravensthorpe Railway Station which is part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade.
The next steps include Kirklees Council working with local people to progress an Inclusive Communities Framework for the area which will feed the community’s future needs into the next stages of developing the site alongside external partners.
Councillor Graham Turner, cabinet member for regeneration, said: “This is an exciting step towards the creation of a vibrant and welcoming new community which has been made possible by collaborative working with local people, the council, Homes England, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Network Rail.
“We are committed to ensuring that the new Riverside development works for new and existing residents, many of whom have had their say about the proposals during the consultation phase, helping us better understand the aspirations and needs of the local community.”
The first phase of construction has recently been completed by local company, The Casey Group Ltd with the creation of a new allotment site that will replace the original site of 25 plots with 43 plots. The transition of the existing allotment holders will start in the coming months.
