Kirklees Council’s Cabinet approves next steps for Gasworks Street site in Huddersfield
At their meeting on Tuesday 24 March Kirklees Council’s Cabinet approved plans for the future of the Gasworks Street site in Huddersfield.
The council-owned site sits in a key location within the Station to Stadium Enterprise Corridor and West Yorkshire Investment Zone.
The plans will see the site transformed into a new employment hub focused on health innovation, life sciences and advanced manufacturing. The site lies next to the University of Huddersfield’s new National Health Innovation Campus (NHIC), creating a strong opportunity for the co-location businesses alongside research and innovation expertise.
Up to £8.55 million of Government Investment Zone funding is available for the project, subject to approval by West Yorkshire Combined Authority. This funding would be used to prepare the land for development and make the site ready for new businesses and investment.
Cabinet members have approved plans for the council to seek a master developer for the site. In addition, the council would draw down a further £1 million in development funding from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to support the next stage of work, including detailed design work and submission of an outline planning application.
David Shepherd, Executive Director for Place at Kirklees Council, said:
“Gasworks Street is a key opportunity site for Huddersfield and the wider region. These plans will help turn an underused area into a place where new businesses can grow, creating skilled jobs and bringing investment into the town.
“Working closely with partners including the University of Huddersfield, we want to build on the momentum already happening around the National Health Innovation Campus and the Station to Stadium Enterprise Corridor.
“This is about supporting innovation, growing our local economy and making sure Huddersfield continues to be a place where new ideas, businesses and opportunities can thrive.”
The plans for Gasworks Street plans will help address the shortage of modern industrial and specialist life sciences space in Huddersfield and across West Yorkshire. They would support wider regeneration along the Station to Stadium Enterprise Corridor, helping attract new investment, support business growth and create high-value jobs for local people.