Huddersfield's former gasworks to become science and manufacturing hub under new plans
It means the site is unlikely to become the new home of Huddersfield Giants
Kirklees Council has set out its vision for Huddersfield’s former gasworks, with the next steps expected to be taken next week.
The land has made headlines in recent months, with Rugby League fans calling on Kirklees Council to allow the new Huddersfield Giants stadium to be built there. But the local authority had other plans due to the site’s prime location within the Station to Stadium Enterprise Corridor and West Yorkshire Investment Zone.
September’s signing of the Accu Stadium deal saw the council become the official owner of the crucial site. At the same time, the local authority and Huddersfield Giants handed over their stadium shares to Huddersfield Town which took on full operational control of the venue and its surrounding 53 acres.
Now, Kirklees Council has set out its plans for the plot at Gasworks Street which will be considered by Cabinet next Tuesday (March 24). If approved, this would see the site transformed into a new employment hub focused on health innovation, life sciences and advanced manufacturing.
The site is next to the University of Huddersfield’s new National Health Innovation Campus (NHIC), which the council says creates a strong opportunity for the co-location of businesses alongside research and innovation expertise. The scheme also aims to improve pedestrian and vehicle connectivity and accessibility, and deliver a high-quality urban environment.
Under the draft masterplan, the development would feature enough units to accommodate between 550 and 1,000 Full Time Equivalent jobs, a corridor of green space from the south-west to the north-east of the site, large multi-storey car park, a new connection between the station and the Accu Stadium for pedestrians and cyclists, and the creation of a new pedestrian footbridge over the broad canal.
David Shepherd, Executive Director for Place at Kirklees Council, said: “Gasworks Street is a key opportunity site for Huddersfield and the wider region. If approved, these plans would help turn an underused area into a place where new businesses can grow, creating skilled jobs and bringing investment into the town.
“Working closely with partners including the University of Huddersfield, we want to build on the momentum already happening around the National Health Innovation Campus and the Station to Stadium Enterprise Corridor.
“This is about supporting innovation, growing our local economy and making sure Huddersfield continues to be a place where new ideas, businesses and opportunities can thrive.”
Up to ÂŁ8.55m of government Investment Zone funding is available for the project, subject to approval by West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA). This funding would be used to prepare the land for development and make the site ready for new businesses and investment.
Cabinet members will also be asked to approve plans for the council to seek a master developer for the site. In addition, the local authority would draw down a further ÂŁ1m in development funding from the WYCA to support the next stage of work, including detailed design work and submission of an outline planning application.
The projected timescales expect an Outline Business Case to be considered by WYCA Committee this June. Planning approval for the scheme is then anticipated in the final quarter of 2026/27, with spades in the ground for remediation works at the start of 2027/28.