Two-and-a-half-million pounds worth of major repairs will begin on Huddersfield Town Hall next week, as the public is told to expect some level of disruption.
On Tuesday, 2 May, work will begin on the historic building. This will include replacing sections of the town hall’s roof, installing more durable materials and improving rainwater drainage to protect the Grade II Listed building from damage and damp for decades to come.
Parts of the roof were replaced during the first phase of this work in 2016, and the upcoming improvements will complete the project. The date for completion is expected to be January 2024.
As part of the project, conservation works will also be undertaken to some of the town hall’s beautiful exterior stonemasonry, windows will be refurbished and redecorated, and the town hall’s flagpoles will be refurbished.
There will also be repairs and redecoration to some of the building’s interiors, including the mayor’s office, the hospitality room and adjoining small atrium, reception room, council chamber and civic office.
During this period the town hall will remain fully open, and the majority of meetings and events will be minimally impacted. The timings of the work have been coordinated to offer least impact possible to key events. While the flagpoles are out of use, appropriate flags will instead be flown at Greenhead Park, a short distance from the town hall.
However, there will be some impacts on traffic around the building – specifically on Corporation Street – and parking directly outside the town hall, including accessible parking, will be reduced.
While a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order is in place while work is ongoing, and there will be partial closures of footpaths on Corporation Street and Peel Street, pedestrian access to the town hall itself will be maintained at all times and diversions will be clearly signposted throughout the area.
David Shepherd, Strategic Director for Growth & Regeneration, says: “Huddersfield Town Hall has stood for about two and half centuries, and it’s one of our most beautiful and impressive council buildings. This work is about protecting it for years to come, preserving part of Huddersfield’s history – one of our greatest priorities throughout our regeneration work in the town centre.
“During these necessary repairs and restorations, we’ll be doing our very best to keep impact for the public to a minimum. The town hall will remain fully open for business as usual, and clear diversions will be in place for pedestrians throughout the works.”
Huddersfield isn’t the only town hall undergoing works with the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) recently reporting that Cleckheaton Town Hall was “unsafe” and in need of repairs. This has seen a number of events cancelled, including the Cleckheaton Folk Festival, causing upset among the community.
Last month, the LDRS also revealed that the future of town halls across the borough is uncertain as a council report showed that demolitions and closures of council buildings were on the cards to save the authority money. Town halls were described as “revenue intensive to run and require significant capital in the short to medium term for refurbishment and maintenance.”
A further report is expected to come to cabinet with more details of what is in store for Kirklees’ town halls, though no date has been set at present.
