Plans lodged for town's £16.5m market revamp

An indoor events space features in the plans for the market

A planning application has been submitted for a scheme to revamp Huddersfield's market.

The £16.5m project is part of a wider £250m blueprint for the town centre, which also includes plans for a new library, a museum and a live entertainment venue.

The application, submitted to Kirklees Council, includes an area for hot food vendors, a bar, a dedicated seating area and alterations to make the site more accessible.

Councillor Graham Turner, cabinet member for regeneration and finance, said the design aimed to "restore and improve the market to future-proof it for generations to come".

The Grade II listed market building on Northumberland Street would also undergo restoration and repair works, including restoring it to its original colour scheme of traditional reds, pinks and creams, a council spokesperson said.

The plans included a mixture of fixed and removable stalls to enable events including food festivals and community celebrations to take place, they added.

Accessible doors and toilets would also be installed, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The new market is being funded through a £16.5m government grant

Turner said the council wanted the market to be a "place full of opportunities to test ideas, eat, learn, be entertained and most importantly create a space that facilitates economic growth and support traders".

He said: "Collaborating with the architects, we have developed plans to restore and improve the market to future-proof it for generations to come.

"Huddersfield has and always will be a market town - these improvements will allow the market to continue being a key place for the people of Huddersfield to visit, and a space where local businesses can thrive for many more years to come."

A temporary market will be created on land between Brook Street and the Tesco car park in order to minimise disruption while work takes place on the redevelopment.

If the planning application is approved, work is expected to start in the spring of 2026.

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