Kirklees Council wants to remind people that public consultation into the revised plans for the £210 million Cultural Heart ends on Wednesday September 14.

The Cultural Heart scheme will transform the area around the Piazza in Huddersfield town centre and once consultation ends, the scheme’s architects will put the final touches to a planning application, expected to be submitted in the next few weeks.

The consultation included ‘pop-up’ sessions with the landscape architects in the Piazza last month. More than 270 people took part in the sessions which focused on the outdoor public spaces, which provide a major part of the Cultural Heart.

A large ambition of the Cultural Heart is to attract more families into the town centre. With this in mind, the pop-up sessions featured several activities for children, including face painting and helping to come up with ideas for the playground equipment, which will be built on the site with the help of local arts organisation The Children’s Art School.

Clr Graham Turner, Cabinet member for regeneration, said: “The proposals for the public realm in the Cultural Heart are impressive, both in terms of scale and quality.

“The family-friendly and inclusive spaces will become destinations in their own right and will play a key role in keeping the town centre active throughout the day and into the evening.”

Hannah Thompson, associate at re-form – the appointed landscape architect, said: “The pop-up in the Piazza events allowed us to engage face-to-face with locals and outline our vision in more detail.

“We were incredibly encouraged by the feedback we received and positive conversations we held over the three days.

“It was especially pleasing to hear excited young parents say the elements of play and activities included in the plans will make a huge difference in how they use the town centre in the future.”

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The council says the proposals for the public spaces within the Cultural Heart aim to set a new benchmark for town centres.

A council spokesman said: “The free-flowing attractive spaces will be split into three core elements – a ‘public square’ that can host regular community events, a large ‘urban park’ that features play space for families and encourages physical wellbeing, and attractive ‘gardens’ that offer a space for respite and relaxation.

“To ensure the outdoor public spaces can be used by everyone – accessibility has been placed at the forefront of the proposals. New public toilets, Changing Places facilities, faith rooms, wide walkways, minimal level changes and multiple types of seating will all contribute to a truly welcoming space that can be used throughout the seasons.”

The second phase of the Cultural Heart public consultation ends on Wednesday September 14.

The online consultation can be found HERE or contact the consultation team at info@kirkleesculturalheart.co.uk or phone 0808 175 4300.

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