Kirklees Together

We are set to agree a new masterplan to regenerate one of Huddersfield’s key economic zones as well as opening up negotiations to secure the future of the town’s John Smith’s Stadium.

Station to Stadium

At the meeting on 21 December, cabinet will be asked to agree ambitious development plans for the Station to Stadium Corridor, which runs from Huddersfield Railway Station to the stadium to the north-east of the town centre. Building on Huddersfield’s University’s plan to build a new National Health Innovation Campus on the Southgate site, the masterplan includes ambitions for improved transport connections to the town, development of the Gasworks Street site and support to bring new employment and skills to the area.

John Smith’s Stadium

At the same cabinet meeting, councillors will also be asked to explore a new ownership structure for the John Smith’s Stadium to secure its long-term future.

Since it opened in 1993, the stadium has been managed by Kirklees Stadium Development Limited (KSDL), with shares held in the company by the council and the town’s two professional sports clubs, Huddersfield Town Association Football Club (HTAFC) and Huddersfield Giants Rugby League Football Club (HGRFLC).

In recent years, KSDL has faced challenging trading conditions and partners have been in discussions about putting the stadium on a firmer financial footing. A recommendation to the Cabinet proposes that a new ownership model – where we transfer our stake to the clubs – could bring much needed investment to the facility as well as giving the stadium a more sustainable business model for the future. In any of the proposed scenarios, the council would retain ownership of the stadium site. If councillors agree the recommendation, it will give us the go-ahead to explore a new ownership model with its partners.

Kirklees Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Councillor Graham Turner, said:

“The station to stadium corridor in Huddersfield has huge economic potential. The masterplan gives shape to our ambition and sets out how we can bring high quality jobs and economic opportunities to the town. At the heart of those plans is the stadium. A new ownership model could secure its future as well as going a long way to unlocking the wider economic potential of the surrounding area.”

In a joint statement on the future of stadium, the council, HTAFC and HGRLFC, said:

“The stadium is at the heart of our community. Our clubs mean so much to people across Huddersfield and well beyond. But if the stadium is going to serve the community for the future, it needs investment and a financial platform that’s sustainable in the long term. All partners are working closely together to find a way forward that suits everyone, especially supporters and future generations of fans.

“There’s a lot of detailed and complex issues to consider and a range of options open to us. But all partners are committed to maintaining the stadium as the heart and soul of Huddersfield’s sporting heritage.”