How the face of Huddersfield will change this year and beyond

As we reach the halfway point of the year, we take a look at the plans that are set to change the face of Huddersfield town centre.

If all goes to plan, Huddersfield have a lot to look forward to this year and beyond. There are many regeneration projects focused on the city centre, and a number of historic buildings are also being upgraded.

The skyline will also change as new buildings are constructed at the university and others are torn down due to disuse. The city will also lose another landmark in the form of the 127m high gas tank.

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Here are some of the plans that are in the works:

The George Hotel

Opposite Huddersfield’s iconic railway station is the George Hotel. With a history dating back to 1726, the hotel was an important part of the town’s heritage until it closed in 2013. The hotel was famously the birthplace of rugby league, having hosted a match in 1895.

A £20 million project to breathe new life into the Grade II listed landmark was due to be completed with an opening date of late 2024. However, it has been pushed back several times. Queensberry, the construction firm contracted by the council, has given a new estimated opening date of spring/summer 2025, while the council has refused to confirm an opening date.

Kingsgate Leisure

Work is underway to transform the former House of Fraser store in Huddersfield into a brand new leisure complex with six cinema screens, 10 bowling alleys, along with new restaurants and other leisure activities. Readers got a glimpse of the new cinema when new photos were released earlier this month.

However, the site’s operator, The Light, recently revealed that residents will be waiting longer than originally thought to access the new facilities, as the estimated opening date has been pushed back from September to Easter 2025.

University of Huddersfield

Named after Britain’s first black matron, the Daphne Steele Building is being built in Southgate as part of the University of Huddersfield’s National Health Innovation Campus. Construction is expected to be completed by September and, once open, will bring together facilities for the public, specialist clinical teaching facilities.

The University’s Queensgate campus will also see changes, with three interlinked buildings – Edith Key, the Researcher Hub and the George Buckley Lecture Theater – due to be demolished this summer.

Demolition of gas support

The 127m tall gas holder is the last remaining of its kind in Huddersfield, with five in the town at one time. The steel structure dates back to 1916 and was used to store gas for use during the winter months.

However, the keepers became redundant when gas was discovered in the North Sea and gas production in Huddersfield ceased in the 1960s.

In recent years, the towering structure became home to a family of peregrine falcons, which had a nest in the steel frame. Northern Gas Networks, which will carry out the demolition, says it will do “everything it can” to ensure the birds’ safety.

The gas stand, as well as some surrounding buildings, including the Gas Clubhouse, are to be dismantled by July 2025.

Cultural heart

Kirklees Cultural Heart Council’s ambitious plans come as part of the £250m Huddersfield Blueprint project. The Cultural Heart focuses on the area around the Square and the works started this year.

Surveys and preparatory work were carried out earlier in the year and much of the construction work for ‘Phase I’ of the scheme is to be carried out this year. This initial phase covers the dining hall, library and public square and is expected to open to the public in late 2025.

A city park, a museum and gallery, a new Queen Street development, a live entertainment venue and a 350-space car park will also be built between 2026 and 2030.

Huddersfield Railway Station

The historic railway station has become an enduring icon of Huddersfield town center since its completion in the mid-19th century, garnering many plaudits for its striking facade and earning a Grade I listing.

The station is now at the heart of the Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade (TRU), which aims to improve connections in the north. Customers traveling between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York can expect faster and more frequent services and cleaner and greener trains, according to Transpennine Express.

The rail operator has proposed several changes to Huddersfield station. These include two new platforms, extensions to existing platforms, improved lifts and bridges, a refurbished tea room and toilets and improved customer information services.

In addition, a number of accessibility changes were also proposed in a recent application. This would include better signage and improved ramps and handrails.

Buxton House

Dating back to the 1960s, the 11-storey Huddersfield block is being redeveloped as part of Kirklees Council’s £57 million scheme. This arose out of fire safety concerns following the Grenfell disaster in 2017.

The designs were unveiled in August last year showing what the apartments could look like once the work is complete. The plans would see all 57 apartments refurbished and a new high-speed lift installed.

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