Character Area 1 –Town Centre and River Aire

There is an ambition to diversify the town centre offer, through the redevelopment of civic uses in the town centre to create a broader leisure offer and drive footfall – a key element is to make more of the heritage assets and open spaces.  

This high-quality amenity will help to attract new visitors into Bingley as well as support existing and attract new residential communities.  The provision of more town centre living is also a key opportunity – helping to diversify the demographic, attracting young professionals and families into Bingley and the wider locality.    

 Potential interventions could therefore include: 

• Main Street - Reprioritisation of Main Street to reduce vehicular dominance and create a more attractive environment for pedestrians and cyclists.  
• Bingley Railway Station –Relocation of car parking to provide improved public realm within the station forecourt and a new business/retail space in a central location, plus improved active travel connections into the town centre, to create a more welcoming arrival to the town. 
• Introduction of Leisure Uses – Change of use from town hall to hotel to showcase an attractive heritage asset and provide a place for tourists visiting nearby attractions to stay and visit Bingley. This will include improvements to the Bingley Swimming Pool so that it can be re-opened and to reintroduce leisure uses into the town centre. 
• Bingley Town Square – Reconfiguration of the town square to provide improved green/ public space within the heart of the town centre. 
• Residential Uses – Provision of new residential uses along Main Street and to the rear of Bingley Little Theatre, to increase footfall into the town centre, benefitting from the Riverside setting.  
• New Active Travel Route - Introduction of new active travel circuit along the River Aire and Leeds-Liverpool Canal to create an attractive route for active travel uses to showcase the heritage and landscape assets of Bingley.

The proposed interventions as set out are indicative only. There is no funding commitment at this stage to deliver the vision. If the proposals are supported by stakeholders, a more detailed delivery plan would be considered as funding opportunities arise.