Brighouse Transforms Its High Street With New Community Spaces

UNITED KINGDOM / AGILITYPR.NEWS / June 22, 2021 / Construction work has taken place in Brighouse town centre to create new spaces for visitors to rest and enjoy a moment with friends and family. Part of the town’s local regeneration project, it is hoped these new community parklets will increase dwell time and provide visitors with a peaceful, welcoming area where they can take some time out.

Small parts of the kerb-side parking along Commercial Street have been transformed into parklets featuring benches and greenery. Although flat, Commerical Street is a long stretch of high street, and with a high percentage of visitors to the town elderly, the parklets will be beneficial to both shoppers looking for a place to sit, and businesses, as visitors are encouraged to spend more time in the town.

The work is part of the Brighouse Accelerator Scheme, funded by the Government’s Towns Fund. The Town Deal Board which is made up of a panel of local residents and business owners, was granted £750,000 to develop the high street, with the money split between a variety of works including the parklet build, canal towpath improvements and footpath extensions to provide safer social distancing measures and bring Brighouse back to life post lockdown.

The Brighouse Town Deal Board has submitted its bid for up to £25 million from the Government’s Towns Fund for agreed projects to be delivered in Brighouse up until 2025, including the funding of public realm (greener and more accessible streets) and strategic business development initiatives in, and around, Brighouse.

Lesley Adams, Co-Chair of the Brighouse BID steering group comments: “While we’ve had to sacrifice a very small number of parking spaces, we have complete confidence that the introduction of the parklets will incredibly beneficial for our town. The BID board members are always considering new ways to drive footfall and increase dwell time, and having seen the success of the parklet roll out on a national level, we know this will be a positive step forward.”