New homes plan approved for town centre building

The Estate Buildings are situated in the heart of Huddersfield town centre

A Grade II listed building in Huddersfield could be turned into housing for graduates and people looking for a home in the town centre.

Kirklees Council has approved plans to spend £1.25m of government money to prepare the Estate Buildings for redevelopment.

The money will go towards repairs to "help bring the building back to life", said Councillor Graham Turner, cabinet member for finance and regeneration.

Turner said the investment was a "vote of confidence" in the council's plans to improve the town centre and increase the number of people living there.

The plans would help the town become a "vibrant and convenient place to live for the younger generation, with plenty of facilities nearby for people to travel and shop – increasing the footfall within the town centre," Turner said.

The funding was approved at a council meeting on Tuesday.

According to a council report, the preparatory work would help to reduce costs for a future developer and make the site "more marketable and attractive to potential investors".

It is not known how many homes could be created on the site, which is close to Huddersfield Train Station.

Plans said the preparatory work would take place this year.

'Potentially difficult'

The council must be in a contract to deliver homes at the site by 31 March 2028 otherwise some or all of the grant would have to be repaid, the meeting was told.

Council officers admitted it would be "potentially difficult" to meet the deadline given the "significant amount of work" required before redevelopment work on the "very complex building" could begin.

The deadline "will be the subject of ongoing monitoring and risk assessment as the project progresses", they added.

The Estate Buildings date back to the 1800s and were designed by local architect William Henry Crossland.

The preparatory works will be paid for by the government's Brownfield Land Release Fund, which is used to make surplus local authority owned brownfield sites ready for housing that would otherwise remain derelict.

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