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Improvements planned for Ilkley’s 'pocket park' this summer

Monday, 16 March 2026 17:38

Pocket park by the South Hawksworth Street car park public toilets

Improvements to the cycle hub in Ilkley’s ‘pocket park’ are planned for summer and will be delivered by Bradford Council’s Landscape Design and Conservation team.

The cycle hub, adjacent to the public toilets in the centre of Ilkley, is to be improved with repairs to the damaged cycle shelter, new additional cycle storage and the installation of a new bin store.

Created in 2020 to provide a base for cyclists to rest, store and maintain their bikes through the provision of cycle tools whilst in the town centre, the hub has been well-used.

The existing cycle shelter will be repaired and damaged tools replaced, and a bank of four new cycle lockers will be installed enabling more people to store their bikes for an extended period. A large bin store will also be provided to accommodate commercial waste bins after feedback from businesses about the lack of suitable storage space in the area.

Bradfords Council’s Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Transport and Planning Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw said:

“I’m really pleased we’ve been able to secure funding to improve the pocket park we delivered in Ilkley, with better cycle facilities and also a new bin store that will tidy the area up significantly.”

The council has worked closely with Ilkley BID and other stakeholders to establish the improvement plan. The scheme is due to be delivered in the early summer and works are expected to last around four weeks.

Ilkley BID manager Sarah Brookfield-Almond added:

“We’ve been lobbying for improvements to the Back of the Grove area for a while, and are very pleased these plans are now going ahead.

“A number of businesses have their frontages in this area, and the condition of the Pocket Park has been an issue for some time. We are proud of our town and it’s important that visitors arriving in Ilkley and parking in the main car park are met with an attractive welcome, which this scheme will help deliver.”

The project will be funded by £20,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF).

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