Scrapped: The mock Victorian street lamps from St George’s Square now sitting in a scrap yard

Oct 16 2009 by Joanne Douglas, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

The man, who did not want to be named, said: “They were only put up about ten years ago and it’s scandalous that they’ve just been thrown out.

“The council should not be throwing away things like that.

“I hope he [Mr Wells] can keep them as they are.”

A spokeswoman for Kirklees Council confirmed that Wrekin could have sold the lights on.

She said: “The mock-Victorian street lamps were among the items cleared by the previous contractor, Wrekin.

“The contractors are usually able to sell or re-use these items and Wrekin chose to scrap the lights so the metal could be recycled.”

And as a result of the find, the Examiner has since learned that the iconic and popular Yorkshire stones, which once adorned the Square, could be re-used elsewhere in the town.

The council spokeswoman added: “The Yorkshire Stone flags have been recycled back into the Square where ever possible.

“Those that could not be re-used are in storage waiting to be used in other council schemes.”

Back in March 2002 a re-vamp was first suggested with costs put at between £3m and £5m.

One idea included a car park in the centre of the square.

The fountain was suggested in 2003 and in early 2007, when the final design was unveiled, it was predicted that that would be complete by October 2008, costing £4m and providing a space for up to 10,000 spectators.

Now, one year after the square was meant to have opened, work is complete.