Move to encourage pride in estates

ALMOST £200,000 is being spent to help council tenants in Rawthorpe and Fartown, Huddersfield, to feel proud of where they live.

The £198,000 is a share of £5.5m from Kirklees Council to provide environmental improvements to estates in Batley, Spen, Dewsbury and Huddersfield.

The improvements are aimed at creating a ‘greater pride of place’ for tenants and residents and reducing crime, said a council spokeswoman.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In Rawthorpe work will improve safety by providing fencing for the front and rear of properties as well as dividing fencing after residents raised problems with trespassers, particularly to the rear of properties which back onto Kilner Bank. The measures includes providing a continuous fence (and including properties which have been sold) to deter entry from open land at the rear of Bradley Mills Road, Brownroyd Avenue (bottom end), Foxlow Avenue, Nether Close, Netherhall Avenue, Rawthorpe Crescent and Rawthorpe Lane.

Rawthorpe will also see the creation of an allotment site on land behind Rawthorpe Crescent and Nether Hall Avenue and bulb planting on some areas of roadside communal land. The Rawthorpe measures will cost about £156,500.

Tenants and residents at Abbey Road Estate, Fartown raised concerns about a safe play area for children and the council has now agreed to fund improvements to the play area between Abbey Road and Hammond Street. The playground will be resurfaced and bike barriers installed as well as planting. There will also be planting to improve the appearance of the estate. The work at Abbey Road will cost around £42,000.

Cabinet member Councillor Peter McBride said: “This will lead to major improvements and is part of our work to target resources where they are needed and where they will have a great impact. The improvements are focused on areas with relatively high deprivation and will make a real difference in the lives of those communities.”