Plans for a £210m transformation of Huddersfield town centre have been approved.
Kirklees Council’s Cultural Heart development will feature a food hall, library venue, museum and art gallery around a new public square.
Construction of the first phase will start in spring 2024, focused on major refurbishments to the historic Queensgate Market, and the creation of the public square.
The Grade II listed Queensgate Market building will be adapted to become a food hall, with space for around 10 independent food stalls and large communal seating areas. Kirklees said it would become “a new social focal point for the town centre”, animating the area throughout the day and into the evening.
Within the same building will be a new contemporary library venue, a flexible, glass-fronted building to host group meetings, amenities, quiet breakout rooms, a dedicated children’s area, a local history room and computer facilities.
An event space and terrace on the top floor of the library will look out over the new square.
Shabir Pandor, leader of Kirklees Council, said: “Today is a significant milestone for the future of Huddersfield town centre. Our Cultural Heart project is a transformational scheme… all about delivering genuine long-term community assets.”
The first phase of the scheme is projected to complete in spring 2026. Following this, work will get under way on delivering a new family-friendly urban park, a museum and gallery, a mixed-use building to help bridge the park and Queen Street divide, and a multi-purpose live entertainment venue with a 350-space car park.
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