Huddersfield Developments Thread

[matty_lad]

This is part of the waterfront development.

[matty_lad]

Plans have been submitted to the council on the extension of kingsgate shopping centre. The developers are looking to expand shopping space by 120,000 sq ft. net via a new mall leading out towards st peters church and gardens, anchored by a 50,000 sq ft major store.

[matty_lad]

There was some details about this project in todays examiner, plans are to build new apartments offices, bars and restaurants.

[MikeinLeeds]

STADIUM chiefs today unveiled a major development expected to create more than 720 jobs and turn Huddersfield into a top tourist destination.

They have announced plans for a £100m-plus scheme to put the Galpharm at the hub of a major leisure and commercial complex designed to attract visitors to Huddersfield and help it compete with attractions in Leeds and Manchester.

The ambitious scheme will include building an outdoor ski slope, two nightclubs, a casino and bingo hall, a music venue, a pool hall, a 10-pin bowling alley and an outdoor ski slope.

A ski slope was initially proposed as part of the Galpharm Stadium plan, but then withdrawn.

The new proposals also include 144 flats, 21 restaurants, cafés and bars, a 150-bedroom hotel, a convenience store and sports shop, an estate and travel agency, office space and a multi-storey car park with 1,754 spaces.

The ski slope would be built against the slope of Kilner Bank, avoiding the need for a towering, free-standing structure.

But the scheme would mean the loss of the golf driving range.

The multi-storey car park would be built on the site of the current Town Avenue car park across the river from the stadium.

The other new buildings would mainly occupy land to the south of the stadium between the Pink Link Stand and the river.

Stadium managing director Ralph Rimmer said a planning application for the scheme would be submitted this month.in July

If the plans are approved work would begin by the end of next year and be carried out over 40 months in four phases.

But Mr Rimmer stressed: "The stadium operates 12 months of the year and remains the heartbeat of the complex. The work will be done in phases, to avoid disrupting the work of the stadium."

The stadium, the Odeon cinema and the health and fitness centre would all remain in operation throughout the work.

Mr Rimmer said the development scheme, named HD One, aimed to turn Huddersfield into a leisure destination for people living outside the town and surrounding districts.

He said: "Kirklees Council want people who live here to spend their money here rather than in Leeds or Manchester and we have looked at a variety of different leisure opportunities.

"This is an attempt to bring in new and interesting things to the town. We have tried to be innovative and make it an attractive proposition for everyone."

He said: "The leisure markets in Leeds and Manchester are becoming more and more sophisticated and more and more skilled at taking money from consumers. Kirklees has to compete or disappear and become a suburb of Leeds.

"This scheme also goes some way to helping the local authority meet its targets for jobs and investment in the Kirklees Strategic Economic Zone, which centres on the Leeds Road corridor."

Mr Rimmer said the scheme had its origins four years ago when the Kirklees Stadium Development Company Limited (KSDL) began considering ways to upgrade the stadium and make greater use of the 54-acre site.

He said: "The stadium was ground- breaking when it was built in 1994 and it has added massively to the Kirklees area in general. The KSDL board are keen to do something ground-breaking once again."

He said the new development would complement existing attractions, including the Stadium Health and Fitness Centre and the neighbouring Odeon multiplex cinema.

Mr Rimmer said the scheme presented major challenges, including the need for improved public transport to the stadium complex, action to tackle contaminated land due to its former use as a chemicals dump and flood defence measures.

Stadium chiefs had also commissioned an independent survey to assess the possible impact on town centre traders. They were also consulting local residents.

The development was welcomed by Clr Robert Light, leader of Kirklees Council, which has a 40% stake in KSDL and sits alongside Huddersfield Town and Huddersfield Giants on its board.

He said: "This is a great proposal which will further enhance the position of Huddersfield in the region and link the Leeds Road stadium complex to the town.

"The development will offer facilities not presently in Huddersfield and help to widen the appeal of the area beyond the traditional area.

"This will help develop Leeds Road and the stadium as a key leisure facility."

An manned exhibition of the scheme runs from 1pm to 3pm today,(Tues) tomorrow (Wed) and Thursday in the community house at 3/5 Town Avenue.

It also runs from 6.30am to 10.30pm from Monday, July 7, to Friday, July 11, in the foyer of the health and fitness centre.

[BradfordBorn&Bred]

Would be magnificent for Huddersfield and Kirklees in general, but what about the horrendous accessibility issues in this area? Leeds Road is an absolute nightmare at the best of times. What plans are proposed to address the traffic congestion in order to ensure this scheme would function in the most efficient way?

I'm aware of the KSEZ (in fact very familiar with it), I'm aware of the Stadium axis guidelines (improving pedestrian connectivity from Huddersfield centre to the stadium) but there's little being put forward to ease traffic problems; or at least little that I'm aware of.

[BradfordBorn&Bred]

Would be magnificent for Huddersfield and Kirklees in general, but what about the horrendous accessibility issues in this area? Leeds Road is an absolute nightmare at the best of times. What plans are proposed to address the traffic congestion in order to ensure this scheme would function in the most efficient way?

I'm aware of the KSEZ (in fact very familiar with it), I'm aware of the Stadium axis guidelines (improving pedestrian connectivity from Huddersfield centre to the stadium) but there's little being put forward to ease traffic problems; or at least little that I'm aware of.

[Val Verde]

I take it that this would be something like Kirkstall Road in Leeds or XScape in Castleford of an out of town entertainment complex?

Wouldn't it be so much better to have a more urban style of development that would expand Huddersfield Town Centre eastwards to encompass the Galphram stadium and these planned developments so that there is no risk say of these new entertainment facilties resulting in the loss of existing amenties facilities to the established town centre (as what had occured for example when the Odeon which was originally I think known as a UCI had opened by the Galphram stadium resulting in the loss of town centre cinemas in Huddersfield)?

They should expand the Free Town Bus in Huddersfield Town Centre to allow direct access from Huddersfield Railway station to the Galphram stadium. Are there any renders of how this scheme will look?

[Val Verde]

I take it that this would be something like Kirkstall Road in Leeds or XScape in Castleford of an out of town entertainment complex?

Wouldn't it be so much better to have a more urban style of development that would expand Huddersfield Town Centre eastwards to encompass the Galphram stadium and these planned developments so that there is no risk say of these new entertainment facilties resulting in the loss of existing amenties facilities to the established town centre (as what had occured for example when the Odeon which was originally I think known as a UCI had opened by the Galphram stadium resulting in the loss of town centre cinemas in Huddersfield)?

They should expand the Free Town Bus in Huddersfield Town Centre to allow direct access from Huddersfield Railway station to the Galphram stadium. Are there any renders of how this scheme will look?

[MikeinLeeds]

Are there any renders of how this scheme will look?[/QUOTE]

Some impressions here...http://www.thehdone.com/?hd=main

[Val Verde]

Originally Posted by MikeinLeeds

Are there any renders of how this scheme will look?

Some impressions here...http://www.thehdone.com/?hd=main[/QUOTE]

Thanks. Does look better than I expect as it does seem to give a denser atmosphere as opposed to the retail park style atmosphere I had expected. I guess the main thing which would determine how successful this development will be will be how much it gets integrated with the rest of Huddersfield Town Centre and whether decent attractive materials will be used or would it be just grey plastic especially as painted as opposed to computer generated renders would always be less accurate to predict the end result?

Also I presume Huddersfield Town FC and Huddersfield Giants RLFC will obviously see a substantial benefit from this scheme considering the large number of amenities on their doorstep which they could easily profit from? When is this scheme due to commence construction?

[Irish Blood English Heart]

It looks the mutts nutts as far as these schemes go to be honest.

[BradfordBorn&Bred]

I must confess that I'm impressed with the artist impressions. There are one or two buildings that I'm not too keen on, however the general idea and draft proposals look good. There are two slightly significant issues with this scheme though!!

Firstly; this development falls within flood zone 3a therefore the developer has some significant flooding issues to address before they can pass the sequential test. I'm not sure what flood alleviation measures they have, or are going to, incorporate into the design but it would be interesting to know.

Second issue I have is with the town centre sequential test. Strictly speaking shops are not to be developed out of town centre; this scheme makes provision for shops and is out of town centre. Obviously we don't know what types of shops are proposed but again this could be a big stumbling block for the scheme.

If the development comes to fruition (and let’s hope it does) I would imagine there would be significant changes to its design before implementation.

[matty_lad]

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Work on this project began afw months ago & the smaller building is complete. Afw law firms and developer Jay T are moving here soon. Ill post more pics soon.

[matty_lad]

[matty_lad]

[matty_lad]

picture was taken afw months ago, the new layout is nearing completion nw n luks brilliant

[matty_lad]

Work on the warehouse has been going on for some time now, they have cleaned up most of the exterior and have started work on the interior too. Ill have more shots soon!

[matty_lad]

Council give the scheme thumbs up sum time last year and finally afw bulldozers are on sight now. This development will def put HD1 Oone the map

[matty_lad]

The new campus is going to be located on chapel hill, near thw town centre

[matty_lad]