Huddersfield is set to undergo a major transformation over the coming years, but some plans have hit upon setbacks.
Huddersfield is at the centre of a number of major regeneration projects, from the Cultural Heart to the George Hotel. The town has much to look forward to, with new market, transport, educational and leisure offerings on the horizon.
However, some schemes have come up against obstacles particularly amid financial pressure on both local and national scales. For Huddersfield Cultural Heart, work is underway on the initial phase of Kirklees Council’s mammoth £210m Cultural Heart Scheme. This is set to bring a new food hall, public square, library, urban park, museum and art gallery, entertainment venue, Queen Street development and car park to the town by 2030. This comes as part of the wider Huddersfield Blueprint.
The Cultural Heart project, which was already being delivered as a phased approach due to financial constraints, has seen cutbacks made in certain areas for the same reason. In June 2023, it was announced that the museum and gallery would be housed together in the former library building at Princess Alexandra Walk, instead of separately as was originally envisaged.
Further changes were made this year when the council submitted revised plans for the first phase of the scheme which is focused on the major refurbishment of the Queensgate Market building. This previously included an events space on the top floor of the library to overlook a new public square, but this was axed.
However, progress is being made as construction works started earlier in the Summer on phase one of the Cultural Heart. Hoardings have been put up around the Piazza site to allow for this to take place. Pedestrian routes have also been adjusted as can be seen on the diagram below, with this expected to be in place until the end of 2025.
Earlier this month, it was revealed that the transformation of the George Hotel into a Radisson RED boutique hotel had hit a setback, with concerns that the soaring costs of building materials were to blame. Planning permission was granted for the major project back in June 2023, with the construction and fit-out of the Grade II Listed hotel expected to take 18 months.
The most recent projections gave Summer 2025 as the estimated opening date, but the council has since said that it cannot provide a timescale for the multi-million-pound project. A budget of £20m was earmarked by the council for the construction phase, which will involve the demolition of a “historically unimportant” structure opposite Huddersfield Railway Station. Once complete, the hotel will boast 91 rooms, a 70-seat restaurant and bar, conference room and banqueting suite.
Taking the space of the former House of Fraser store in the Kingsgate shopping centre, ‘Kingsgate Leisure’ is expected to open next Easter – not this September as was originally the plan. A dramatic transformation is currently underway, with a glimpse shared with the public earlier in the year.
Once work is complete, the new facility will be operated by The Light and feature six cinema screens, 10 bowling lanes along with new restaurants and other leisure activities. Work on this new leisure offering began in March 2023, with Kirklees Council saying the plans were bringing “ambition” to Huddersfield town centre.
Meanwhile, Huddersfield Open Market saw success in the Levelling Up Fund (LUF) being granted £16.5m. The council wants to use the cash to revamp the traditional market and provide a wider food and drink offering. There would also be an events space with a stage and screen brought to the Northumberland Street site.
On top of this, the local authority is proposing a ‘Market Yard’ with demountable stalls and space for events to be held. Here, there would also be “affordable” workspaces for local makers and entrepreneurs to rent whose goods could then be sold on the market.
Construction work on the new market is expected to begin next year and will follow a period of consultation where the council will invite members of the public, residents, visitors and businesses to comment on the plans. However, a West Yorkshire-based think tank, Same Skies, recently warned the council to ‘tread carefully’ with its plans and said it should address several key points before proceeding with the development to ensure it is the best option for the town.
