The Huddersfield Blueprint is a ten-year vision to create a thriving, modern-day town centre.
The plan aims to deliver five key objectives for Huddersfield Town Centre: A vibrant culture, art, leisure and nightlife offer, thriving businesses, a great place to live, improved access and enhanced public spaces.
Here you will find the most up to date information on all of our projects throughout the Huddersfield Town Centre.
Index
- The Cultural Heart – The Beating heart of the town
- The George Hotel – The Station Gateway Development
- The Estates Building – The Station Gateway Development
- The New Street Development
- Huddersfield Rail Station Connections – The Station Gateway Development
- The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) – The Station Gateway Development
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The Cultural Heart – The beating heart of the town
The journey so far …
The Huddersfield Blueprint’s ‘Cultural Heart’ will cover a whopping 7.87 acres of the town centre. The area covers Queensgate Market, the library and art gallery, the piazza shopping centre and the now demolished multi-story car park.
Huddersfield town centre needs ambitious projects and serious investment to turn it into a thriving community hub and an inspiring place to live, work and visit. These new plans, if approved through the cabinet and planning will create the beating heart of the town centre and will transform it into a dynamic space for residents and visitors of all ages.
We want to make the Cultural Heart the place to be for culture, art, music, and social gatherings. This is a huge challenge, but our forward-looking plans for Huddersfield are preparing the town for present and future generations.
Earlier this year we set up a public consultation centre on the piazza and invited you to come and give us your feedback on phase one of the plans. We had many survey responses and multiple people attended the engagement events.
Click here for a reminder of the plans!
However, if you haven’t seen our initial designs previously, have a look around our virtual exhibition.
We are now using your feedback to work on our phase two designs. There will be a second opportunity to comment on the designs, when our second publication goes live from 15 August to 14 September.
In the meantime, if you would like to speak to a member of the team, please contact us via:
Email us: info@kirkleesculturalheart.co.uk
Telephone us: 0808 175 4300
Write to us: FREEPOST Cultural Heart
The George Hotel – The Station Gateway Development
The council will support the vibrant creative economy around the town by providing spaces for new and developing businesses.
We aim to increase footfall and support local businesses in the town centre. We will be exploring opportunities for existing property to realise its full potential and make sure the assets we have are attractive to bring in new investors.
The George Hotel – The Station Gateway Development
People will have many memories of the hotel and will have spent many happy hours there. At least one person you know will have stepped foot through the doors of the George.
Most people will be aware of its heritage, its historical value, and its social status in the town. Many people will have visited the hotel for weddings, events, and social gatherings as well as using the accommodation facilities.
It began life as the George Inn and was built by the Ramsden Family in 1726, and named in honour of George I, it was initially built to serve clothiers and merchants trading in Huddersfield’s marketplace. The original George Inn was demolished and rebuilt in 1851 in St Georges Square
Bringing this iconic building back to life has been a hot topic for many people of our town. The George is the main building you see when coming out of the train station and when it is restored and opens its doors once again, is in a grand position to welcome visitors.
If you have not seen it already, take a look at our video and go on a whistle-stop tour of the building and see for yourself the condition the building was in before we started the conservation works.
We purchased this building because it is a significant part of our town, and we are committed to restoring it back to its former glory.
We are now in the first phase of conservation works which includes work on the exterior, and roofing. Preserving the heritage of the building and enhancing its importance to the history of Huddersfield is our main priority.
Next Steps
We are looking for high-quality hotel operators to manage the building once all work is complete, subject to planning permission the building will offer 92 bedrooms with banqueting and event space, a bar and restaurant, and a conference and private dining room.
Watch this space for further updates!
The Estates Building – The Station Gateway Development
We aim to make Huddersfield town centre a family-friendly town where everyone feels safe and welcome. We aim to provide a dedicated community that welcomes potential residents and visitors from all walks of life with a reassuring presence. We’ll look to work with other agencies to commit resources to achieve this.
The Estates Building – The Station Gateway Development
These buildings have been part of the Huddersfield landscape for over 140 years. The Estate Buildings were originally built in 1874 and were designed by the famous architect William Henry Crossland, who was born in Huddersfield.
The Estates is a Grade II Listed building and is of great importance to Huddersfield’s heritage. It sits within the Station Gateway, a key development area for the Huddersfield Blueprint. It is also in the High Street Heritage Action Zone, a regeneration programme in partnership with Historic England.
The journey so far …
Funding from Historic England ensures this building will maintain its historical features and value whilst adding to the development of the town. Preparing this building for new long-term and viable use whilst ensuring its retention for future generations is paramount to the Huddersfield Blueprint vision.
The Estates project is currently in phase one of its external repairs, with repair work taking place on the facade and rear of the building.
On the 26th of July 2022 cabinet approved the plans to develop the Estates building for residential purposes.
Read more about the plans here https://kirkleestogether.co.uk/2022/07/20/cabinet-set-to-discuss-huddersfield-town-centre-living-development/
As part of Blueprint’s vision, we want to future-proof our town’s heritage by providing affordable accommodation within the town centre by transforming this historic building into characterful and welcoming properties.
New town centre residents will benefit current and future retail and leisure developments which will bring a new lease of life into the town.
Watch this space for further updates.
The New Street Development
The council’s interventions around the redevelopment of public space, improvements to infrastructure, and better links to the town centre as well as creation spaces that support existing public spaces are all at the forefront of The Huddersfield Blueprint Ambition.
The New Street Development
News street has seen a lot of change through the years, from trams and trolly buses to cinemas, nightclubs, and retail businesses, many of which are no longer there. Back in the 1960s, the Curzon cinema was in the vicinity of where Primark is now situated. New Street was the main thoroughfare through the town centre.
The journey so far …
We want to make our town centre more than just a place to shop, and New Street, being the town’s main shopping street, is high on our list to revitalise for shoppers, visitors, and businesses alike.
New Street will incorporate space for pop-up markets and small events and be designed to allow for more outdoor dining and café seating areas.
The aim is to fill New Street with vibrant sights, sounds and smells, bringing new energy to the town centre.
These improvements should boost both Huddersfield’s daytime and night-time economies by increasing footfall, supporting local businesses, and encouraging more investment into the town.
There will also be unique features such as the sculptural vertical planters and an original poem for Huddersfield integrated into the street, written by poet laureate and Huddersfield local, Simon Armitage.
Key features and benefits include:
- Green areas with planting and integrated seating, and other street furniture.
- Creative lighting to provide a vibrant and welcoming environment.
- Space for tables and chairs to create on-street café areas.
- New paved surfaces to promote accessibility for everyone.
- Bespoke features and artwork to help create a fun, playful environment.
If you missed it the first time, take a look at our fly-through which will give you a virtual tour of our plans.
We went out to public consultation in 2019 to get your feedback on our plans, we have been using this feedback to finalise our plans and are now putting a timetable together to begin implementing these designs.
We’re planning on completing the work in seven phases and will work on each phase one at a time to mitigate disruption to businesses and visitors.
With the hopes to start phase one work in autumn 2022.
Watch this space for more updates. You can contact us via email: landscape.streetscene@kirklees.gov.uk
Huddersfield Rail Station Connections – The Station Gateway Development
Through significant levels of investment, Kirklees will deliver high-quality, transformational projects to improve key sustainable transport routes across Kirklees. Aiming to rejuvenate and regenerate our area, these plans will connect areas helping us to grow and build back our local economy whilst also addressing poor air quality, carbon emissions and congestion.
Huddersfield Rail Station Connections – The Station Gateway Development
Huddersfield Railway Station is at the heart of the Station Gateway, which is a key development site for the Huddersfield Blueprint. The station is a Grade I listed building and is the second busiest in West Yorkshire. In front of the station, St. George’s Square is bordered by other historic buildings, including Estate Buildings and the George Hotel. Both of these buildings are part of the Station Gateway development.
The journey so far …
Huddersfield Rail Station Connections
Huddersfield Railway Station is at the heart of the Station Gateway, a key development site for the Huddersfield Blueprint.
With such a busy railway station, people need easy access to buses, taxis, cars and there needs to be easy access for pedestrians and cyclists. Walking and cycling accessibility needs to be safe and reliable, currently, there is a lack of cycle lanes, with junctions on the ring road not easy for people to cross.
If you catch the train regularly you will have experienced the bustling of the station at its busiest times. You may have noticed some wear and tear in areas in the paved areas. New greenery would also be very well received. We all need more trees!
The project aims to make it easier for everyone to make their way between the railway station and the places they live, learn, work or visit. The proposed areas are:
- Northumberland Street & John William Street
- St. John’s Road
- Trinity Street
On-street Improvements
Underpass Improvements - Cycle link to Greenhead Park
- Brunswick Street Footpath
- Huddersfield Rail Station Entrance Hall
- Mobility Hubs
By addressing these issues, the Huddersfield Rail Station Connections project will help achieve the objectives of the town centre Blueprint.
Although journey patterns have changed because of Covid-19, new housing and employment growth means we anticipate increased demand for travel.
The changes we are proposing will help encourage more travel by walking, cycling, using buses and trains.
This project will also help make the town centre ready for the Transpennine Route Upgrade. In the upgrade, Network Rail plans to invest in the railway that runs through Huddersfield to Leeds, Manchester and beyond, to improve connectivity and help support economic growth in the north of England.
What’s next?
We asked for your feedback in November 2021 on our initial plans, we have been using the feedback to produce new designs and will be asking for your opinions on our more detailed designs and proposals towards the end of summer 2022.
Keep an eye on our channels to find out when the second phase of the Public Consultation begins. Details will be released on how you can get involved.
In the meantime, if you have any questions, you can email us at:
The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) – The Station Gateway Development
The journey so far
One of the many things that makes Kirklees an attractive place to live, work and visit, is that we are perfectly positioned between Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield. This means that we have great transport links up and down the country. This work will build on this by greatly improving our connections across the north and beyond.
What is the TRU?
The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is being 100% delivered by Network Rail, we fully support and welcome the benefits this will bring to the town.
The multibillion-pound programme will improve rail connectivity between Kirklees and the rest of the north of England.
The TRU is aimed at supporting economic growth in the north of England. Bringing real benefits to passengers and communities along one of the busiest rail connections in the UK.
What are the plans for the TRU?
The upgrade plan will double the number of tracks from two to four. There are also plans to separate the lines going to/from Leeds from the lines going to/from Wakefield, with either a bridge or a tunnel. Once complete, the upgrade will mean more trains, improved journey times and more reliability for local commuters.
Where will the work take place?
Stretching across the north of England between York and Manchester, via Leeds and Huddersfield, the 76-mile Transpennine railway serves 23 stations, crosses over and dips under 285 bridges and viaducts, passes through six miles of tunnels, and crosses over 29 level crossings.
Locally, one of Network Rail’s priority areas is the link between Huddersfield to Dewsbury. They will make big improvements to the four stations in this section – Huddersfield, Deighton, Mirfield and Ravensthorpe. The upgrade will also improve rail routes across the rest of north England.
When will the work take place?
Network Rail are starting preparation work for the TRU at the beginning of August 2022.
If you would like to find out more about the TRU you can visit the Network Rail page and keep an eye out on our social media platforms for anything TRU updates that affect our Kirklees residents.