Ask about shopping and leisure in Castleford and you’ll probably be directed out of town to the Junction 32 outlet village and Xscape entertainment complex (which boasts the largest indoor ski slope in Europe). Whilst both of these have been good news in investment and employment terms, they’ve done what all out-of-town developments do to town centres: draw people away. So how has Castleford’s regeneration won them back?
By Caroline Bloor
It was always going to be a tough act to follow. But with Castleford still suffering from the effects of the pit closures, it was vital to bring regeneration to the heart of the town too. ‘We had economic regeneration and new jobs but it was very important that it wasn’t all about “out of town” and jobs for commuters. It was about making the town centre a great place to be too,’ says Yvette Cooper, MP for Castleford. ‘Business won’t invest somewhere the workforce doesn’t want to live.’
A project office in the town centre provided a meeting space and now houses arts exhibitions.
As part of this revitalisation, three town centre improvement schemes were chosen for the Castleford regeneration project. A ‘regeneration centre’ was created from a derelict furniture shop at 2 Sagar Street to provide a ‘shop window’ for all the projects and as a meeting place for community groups and public consultations. But it has also developed into a thriving arts venue and now plays host to regular workshops and exhibitions celebrating local culture and local artists. ‘We had a big call for an art gallery when we asked people for ideas,’ says Alison Drake, chair of the Heritage Trust, ‘Castleford has such a rich history. People wanted an acknowledgement of that.’
In 2005, the outdoor market was relocated from behind the Carlton Lanes indoor shopping centre into a more accessible and central location. And last May, the townsfolk got a smart new £1.1m town centre square, designed by Hudson Architects. The square is, in fact, defined by a circle of black granite paving, bi-sected by a lattice of white granite lines, to help create a more distinct shopping zone. Disappointingly, the overall effect is somewhat lost at ground level.
The new bridge over the Aire goes further than the town square in terms of form but not function
Unlike other projects, the square didn’t have a community champion fighting its corner. It seems the poorer for it - tame beside the stylish new footbridge over the River Aire and the inspired ‘Playforest’ at Cutsyke. Nevertheless the square, named after the town’s most famous son, Henry Moore, is a great improvement on the once underused and neglected area, and should bring more retailers to join the likes of Marks and Spencer, Woolworths, Dorothy Perkins, New Look and Claire’s Accessories to the precinct.
The benefits are already in evidence, according to local MP for Castleford, Yvette Cooper: ‘You see much more activity around the town centre now - heritage groups, lots of walks, developers are interested, crime levels have dropped... Lots of people have been able to get involved and make a real difference.’
What's been happening in Castleford? Follow its regeneration in Kevin McCloud And The Big Town Plan
Essential reading about the multiple organisations that contributed to Castleford's regeneration
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