Esh completes public realm first phase in £19.1m Brighouse revamp
The contractor has delivered the the public realm regeneration on behalf of Calderdale Council and the Brighouse Town Deal Board, with the completed works now open to traffic.
The three-phase scheme has seen sections of Commercial Street, Market Street, and Briggate revitalised, alongside improvements to Thornton Square.
Work has now moved into the second phase, covering Bethel Street, Canal Street and Ship Street.
The second phase is expected to continue until spring 2027, with the final phase programmed for completion in summer 2027.
Esh said the phased approach has been designed to maintain traffic flow and minimise disruption while works are carried out in the live town centre environment.
Enabling works delivered during the first phase included street lighting disconnections and new connections, drainage improvements and new gullies connected to existing drainage networks to improve surface water management.
The project has also included new kerb alignments, footpaths and carriageways, alongside sustainable water retention systems incorporated into landscaped tree pits.
Granite, sandstone, and porphyry paving have been used across the public realm, with new street furniture and replacement lighting columns installed. Automatic and demountable bollards have also been introduced as pedestrian safety measures.
Michael Sherrard, construction manager at Esh Construction, said the completion marked a “significant milestone” in the town centre transformation.
He said the project involved extensive infrastructure upgrades alongside the creation of new public spaces, with Esh working to maintain access for local businesses, residents and visitors.
Cllr Darren Commons, Calderdale Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “We know how much local people and businesses value Brighouse, and how much it already has to offer.
“The Town Deal improvements are about giving the high street an extra boost, making it a place where even more people choose to visit, shop, spend time and money, and enjoy all that’s great about the town.
“This supports our priority for a vibrant local economy, and it’s brilliant to see the first set of works nearly complete.
“We have talked to businesses and shoppers, reviewed the scheme to keep parking spaces and maintain through traffic on Commercial Street, and will keep listening to people as the project progresses.”
