Kirklees Council has approved funding for the second phase of its ambitious Huddersfield town centre regeneration programme, Our Cultural Heart.

The decision was made at a Cabinet meeting on January 21, marking another milestone in the transformation of the town's cultural and leisure offerings.

Phase one of the project is already well underway, focusing on revitalising the former Queensgate Market. The space is being transformed into a vibrant community hub featuring a library, food hall, and a new public square designed for socialising and events.

Plans for phase two, revealed earlier this year, aim to breathe new life into the historic four-storey former library building. One of Huddersfield's most significant landmarks, it is set to become a state-of-the-art museum and art gallery. The plans include a 50-seat café with an outdoor terrace and a new extension designed to improve accessibility and connectivity with the surrounding outdoor space and the broader Our Cultural Heart development.

Councillors approved the release of £5.413 million from the overall project budget to fund contractor procurement and detailed design for phase two. An additional £250,000 was allocated for a master plan study to explore future phases of the programme. This study will investigate how to deliver the remaining elements of Our Cultural Heart without requiring additional capital borrowing while ensuring the project’s overarching vision is maintained.

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The council also approved reallocating capital funding for specific services within the programme. This includes £371,000 to support the West Yorkshire Archive Service’s relocation to the new library and £50,000 for preparations for future events in the public square.

The report accompanying the funding decision outlined service operating costs and the financial requirements for the interior design and functionality of the museum and gallery. While the Museum Service will seek external funding to cover the estimated £14.48 million cost, the council noted that funds might need to be reallocated from within the existing programme budget if external sources cannot be secured.

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."