Castleford Riverside
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Overview
The Council has secured £23.9 million from the Government’s Towns Fund to help transform Castleford.
This funding will support a range of projects, including Castleford Riverside, Castleford Boho (Sagar Street), Heart of Castleford, and Castleford Connections. Together, these projects will help create a vibrant riverside market town that people can be proud of.
The improvements will attract new businesses, bring more visitors into the town centre, and create welcoming spaces for people to enjoy, work, and spend time in.
Local people have played an important role in shaping the plans. We’ve carried out extensive public consultation, and the projects have been endorsed by the Castleford Together Board, which continues to work with the Council to help deliver them.
When the funding was first approved, the projects were at an early concept stage, and costs were based on initial estimates. Since then, further design work, investigations and discussions with the Castleford Together Board have helped refine the plans to reflect the realities of delivering the projects on the ground.
Castleford Riverside
The Castleford Riverside project will make the most of the town’s connection to the River Aire and help strengthen its identity as a unique riverside market town.
At the heart of the project is the iconic Queen’s Mill, which will act as a focal point for the wider regeneration. The areas on both sides of the river, known as Riverside East and Riverside West, will be improved to create attractive new destinations for residents and visitors alike.
A sketch showing the Riverside Project proposal (subject to planning)
It will be easier to access the riverside area, and we want more visitors to spend time enjoying it:
new and improved greenspaces
there will be an enhanced green area around the Millennium bridge, and a new green space will be created west of Queen’s Mill
this landscaping will mean a better public space for residents and visitors to enjoy
retained anchor destinations
renovation of the historic Ship Inn to provide a new food and drink venue
support to Queen’s Mill, essential work to preserve Castleford's heritage
this will help maximise the towns potential for hosting events, functions, and providing unique workspaces
landscaping on the Crimea Tavern site
we will be demolishing the former public house to remove a derelict property from the area
this site will be landscaped to complement the new riverside areas
Impact
This project will make the riverside more accessible for more people. We want residents and visitors to enjoy our natural environment and to spend time in this part of the town. In turn that will help local businesses on the riverside and elsewhere in our town centre.
Progress Update
Riverside West
All properties have been acquired. The demolition of the Crimea Tavern was completed in late summer 2025. In early November 2025 site setup works began. This was to prepare for Environment Agency approvals, ahead of the main construction phase. That will deliver a new flood wall and public green space.
Work will start on the delivery of the flood wall and a new green space following demolition, site clearance and Environment Agency approvals.
Riverside East
We’ve now acquired all the buildings needed to bring this area forward for regeneration.
We’re working with Muse, our strategic regeneration partner, to develop plans for the site. We’ll be speaking with local residents and businesses to understand what matters most to them and gather ideas on how the area can be improved.
This feedback will help shape a regeneration programme that delivers the greatest benefits for the community, supports local businesses, and creates a place people can be proud of.
The budget for this is still available and the current deadline to spend the funding is the end of March 2028.
Timeline
Autumn 2025: demolition work completed at Crimea Tavern
Autumn/ Winter 2025/26: work to improve flood wall and West Park greening project to start
Site set up commenced Autumn/Winter 2025
Autumn/Winter 2026: all works forecast completion – West Park