‘The new swings and stuff are great. They seem to be lasting well and the whole playground looks well cared for.’ West Bowling resident Heidi Brogden.

Some of the greatest visible changes plus some of the more complex social projects are delivered through Health and the Environment.

Work on the Living Street around the tower blocks off Manchester Road has transformed pedestrian and cycling routes through the area. It runs from Neal Street to St Stephen's Road and the soon to be constructed Manchester Road bridge supported by the Big Lottery through Sustrans will link it to a wider network stretching to the Kirklees Greenway. New playgrounds and multi-use games areas can be seen at a number of venues including Springmill Street and Ashton House. Improvements to public spaces, like those at Star Street and Gaythorne Road, have made the area look smarter as have new parks - particularly Parkside Park and Springmill Street.

Hundreds of new lighting columns add security and safety and these have been enhanced by the Architectural Lighting Project which picks out buildings of interest located at important gateways or routes within the New Deal area.

To help maintain these gains the Green Team and the Environmental Awareness Officer work to keep the area tidy.

Health matters are being addressed with a wide variety of initiatives. The Healthy Living Team works to involve residents in activities like swimming classes and walking for health. It also aims to improve access to services that many people are unaware of. Other key health projects include the Community Health Initiatives Fund, the Family Support Project, the Dental Health Project and the Home Safety Project.

Community Director Zamurrad Khan says, ‘The impact these projects are having is substantial. Everyone agrees the area is looking so much better these days.’