Plans for a new music venue and multi-storey car park as part of Huddersfield’s £262m Our Cultural Heart are set to be reviewed amid project pressures.
Kirklees Council’s transformative scheme centred around the Piazza area is divided into five phases as a result of the difficult economic backdrop, and is being delivered bit by bit. Financial challenges have already seen some elements like the museum and gallery – which were initially set to be housed separately – and an additional events space which was earmarked for the new library, scaled back.
Further changes are on the horizon, with a report to next week’s Cabinet meeting explaining that “efficiencies” need to be made to Phase 5 – the venue and car park – to reduce the construction budget. Subject to Cabinet approval, a review of this part of the project will be carried out in the first half of this year.
To deliver the Cultural Heart as it stands, a construction budget of £262m is required, however, if existing financial pressures and funding reallocations are taken into account, between £233m and £238m will remain to cover the entire project, the report explains. The local authority wants to “replenish” funds without having to borrow more cash and hopes to mitigate the gap, at least in part, through the review of the venue and car park.
While cutbacks are on the cards for this final phase, others are ploughing ahead, with work well underway on the partial demolition of Queensgate Market under Phase 1, to make way for a new library, food hall and public square for events and socialising. This is due to be up and running in Summer 2026 and comes with a £57.9m price tag.
Cabinet will also be asked to release £5.413m, so the second phase of the scheme can progress. This will see the four-storey former library – one of Huddersfield town centre’s most imposing and historically significant buildings – become a brand-new museum and art gallery with a 50-seat café with outdoor terrace, with this expected to open at the start of 2029.
To cover the cost of things like furniture, fittings and equipment, collections preparation and exhibition fit-out in the new museum and gallery, the report indicates that up to £14.480m may need to be reallocated from elsewhere in the budget, though other avenues are being explored. Just under £10m was recently reallocated from the Cultural Heart to fund the George Hotel development.
The future of the Queen Street Plot, which comes as Phase 3 is still up in the air, with Greenhead College no longer looking to turn it into a STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics] block. Instead, the site could be marketed for housing, a hotel or offices. Phase 4 will see the construction of an urban park, with this phase to potentially be brought forward before the development of the plot at Queen Street.
Councillor Graham Turner, Cabinet member for Regeneration said: “Our Cultural Heart is our most ambitious regeneration programme, when completed it will bring a new, community-centred arts and leisure offer to the town, providing cultural activities to enjoy during the day and into the evening.
“It will play a significant role in making Huddersfield a family-friendly, prosperous town centre which provides exciting places to live, work or visit. As with all large regeneration schemes there are hurdles to jump and challenges to overcome, a worldwide pandemic and wars in other countries have of course made things even more complex.
“This has meant we’ve had to continually assess our finances and prioritise spend that will lead to the successful delivery of the first phases of the scheme, whilst still allowing for exciting new developments in the future. Releasing the funds demonstrates our commitment to delivering something everyone can be proud of and doing that in a way that delivers real changes on the ground in the next few years.
“Regeneration is not just about bricks and mortar. Our ambition is to give local people and visitors more reasons to spend time in the town centre. By increasing footfall, and in turn commercial opportunities, our plans will also benefit existing and future businesses from all sectors. Thriving businesses in turn provide employment opportunities for our communities.’ Huddersfield has a bright future, and I am proud to be part of it.”
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