£3m boost for Highfields site

Sep 10 2008 by Hazel Ettienne, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

£3m boost for Highfields site

A NEW day centre for adults with learning disabilities is to be built on the site of the former Highfields School at Edgerton.

Kirklees Council’s Cabinet has given its approval for the new £3m adult day opportunities resource centre at Cemetery Road.

The Highfields school closed two years ago and many of the students transferred to the new Castle Hill School in Newsome.

But the plant means the closure of two other centres in Huddersfield, in Lindley and in Springwood.

Clr Margaret Bates, Cabinet member for Adult Services, said: “This new and modern centre will provide a state of the art, high quality building which is fully accessible, both internally and in the outside areas, for people with learning disabilities.

“The centre will offer a wide range of day opportunities and other activities for adults who need social care support.”

She said that people who use the services, their families and carers had all been involved in the project and have put forward their views and comments.

Building work on the centre is due to start this month with the new centre opening late summer 2009.

Swallow Court in Huddersfield town centre, adjacent to Huddersfield Fire Station, and Lindley Special Care Unit on Lidget Street will close. The Swallow Court site is part of a major redevelopment planned for Huddersfield town centre.

A new Tesco store has been proposed on the site of the Sports Centre on Southgate.

A new sports centre is planned for 2011 on the site of Swallow Court and neighbouring Spring Grove car park.