£250m blueprint for Huddersfield town centre unveiled

Kirklees Council has published the details of a £250million blueprint to transform Huddersfield town centre into a ‘thriving, modern-day’ environment.

The Huddersfield Blueprint focuses on regenerating six key areas in the town centre – Station Gateway, St Peter’s, Kingsgate and King Street, New Street, the civic quarter and a new ‘cultural heart’ section.

According to the local authority, it will look at delivering five key objectives for Huddersfield’s town centre – a vibrant culture, art, leisure and nightlife offer, thriving businesses, a great place to live, improved access and enhanced public spaces.

A number of plans have been drawn up for each area, with a focus on bringing some ofHuddersfield’s historic buildings back into use, supporting new and existing businesses and introducing more homes to the town centre.

The plans also look at making access easier through redesigned streets and footpaths as well as greener and cleaner family-focussed public spaces around the town.

The new ‘cultural heart’ area will be built around the Queensgate Market and library buildings and will include an art gallery, museum and live music venue in the Piazza and Queensgate area.

The Queensgate Market building is being considered for the proposed new 700-1,000-capacity live music venue which will also include studios and tuition spaces and is planned to be completed by 2023.

An improved bus station, railway station, a new Kingsgate cinema, a potential new hotel and a refurbished Open Market with food and drink traders introduced, all also form part of this ten-year vision.

‘We’re committed to seeing our economies thrive and these plans set out how Huddersfield will become a vibrant, family-focused town centre with something for everyone to enjoy,’ said council leader, Cllr Shabir Pandor.

‘Town Centres are changing. Whilst we remain committed to ensuring we have a good retail offer throughout Kirklees, more people are now shopping online and the challenge is to develop a different kind of offer to encourage more people into town centres. This means having culture and leisure offers such as theatre, cinema, art and live music.’

The deputy leader of Kirklees Council and cabinet member for economy, Cllr Peter McBride added: ‘Huddersfield is a remarkable place to live, work and invest but it has even more potential and with this Blueprint for the town centre, we’re aiming high.

‘Huddersfield will be a family-friendly town centre that attracts people from far and wide with its famous Cultural Heart, a place with theatre, art, music and more all in one place.’

Photos supplied by Kirkless Council