Huddersfield town centre is set to get its very own ‘Carnaby Street’.
Major London property specialist, NewRiver Retail, which owns the Packhorse Centre, wants to transform the site at Packhorse Walk and help Huddersfield become the “place to be”.
They want to create a trendy new bar and restaurant as an entrance to the Packhorse Centre and anticipate spending £1.5m so long as planners grant permission for a former bed store to be redeveloped.
With a core UK-wide portfolio and assets under management of �400m comprising 23 shopping centres, 16 high street units and one shopping parade, NewRiver has the necessary experience and funds to power the development forward.
The site sits on the edge of the retail heart of the town and is within the town centre conservation area.
St Peters Church, a Grade II listed building, sits opposite the site which is a former bed and furniture store bounded by Kirkgate and Cross Church Street.
Designs show the first floor bar and cafe area above retail units linking the corner to the Packhorse Centre..
The area has been defined by Kirklees as a focus for evening entertainment and there are several licensed premises within 50m of the site.
NewRiver says there are no plans to extend the premises and the space to be used is all existing unused, empty retail space.
The height of the proposal will differ only marginally from the existing building.
In its Design and Access statement, a spokesman for the developers said: “The current negative impression given by the empty bed shop to anyone entering Huddersfield from the east up Kirkgate would be greeted by a contemporary and classy venue.”
NewRiver director Paul Wright said: “There’s the potential to create a Carnaby Street of Huddersfield and we are proposing to spend �1.5m.
“I think it will be one of the best units in Huddersfield, linking the old town and the new town.”
He said he hoped to be on site by the middle of next year and said the redevelopment work would not take that long.
Before any work begins the plans will need to be approved by the council’s planning committee at a future date.
Council leader, Mehboob Khan, said: “This investment decision is very welcome. �1.5m will go a long way to improving that part of town.”
