Plan to revitalise 'neglected' town with 10-year plan

NEIGHBOURHOOD BOARD HAS £20M TO SPEND ON DEWSBURY REGENERATION

- By ABIGAIL MARLOW

DEWSBURY has an opportunity to overcome “entrenched disadvantage” as a 10-year plan to improve the town takes the next steps, a report says.

Dewsbury is home to around 64,000 residents, with more than half of its neighbourhoods among the 20 per cent most deprived in the UK. Along with many other “overlooked” areas across the UK, Dewsbury was earmarked for a £20m cash boost in 2023 as part of the Tory government's Long-term Plan for Towns.

The investment was re-branded as the Plan for Neighbourhoods under the Labour government, with updated guidance issued. Dewsbury Neighbourhood Board is responsible for setting out how the £20m will be spent, with Kirklees Council the accountable body, managing the funding and delivering agreed improvements, or “interventions”.

The board has recently agreed a 10-year regeneration plan which will now be submitted to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MCHLG), for consideration.