A HUGE redevelopment of Huddersfield town centre is to go ahead.

The Government’s Planning Inspectorate last night gave the green light to Tesco’s controversial proposal to build a supermarket at Southgate.

The verdict clears the way for Kirklees Council to demolish the Huddersfield Sports Centre and build a £35m replacement at Springwood.

Council leader Clr Mehboob Khan, welcomed the Planning Inspectorate’s decision.

“This will be a significant boost for the local economy,” said the Greenhead Labour man.

“It will create hundreds of construction jobs at the Tesco and at the new sports centre.

“This decision ends the uncertainty about the sports centre and in a couple of years Huddersfield will have a sports centre which will be the envy of other places in the North of England.

“The regeneration of the Tesco site at Viaduct Street can also be realised now, with first-class office accommodation and a high-class hotel.”

But Clr Khan’s Labour colleague Barry Sheerman last night branded the Planning Inspectorate’s decision “a disaster”.

“I think it’s appalling,” said the Huddersfield MP.

“This sort of decision up and down the country will destroy local communities and local towns.

“I spoke from the heart at the inquiry about the disaster which Tesco would bring to the town.”

The council last February gave Tesco planning permission to build a new store at Southgate as part of a wider reorganisation of the town centre.

Huddersfield Sports Centre and the Ibbotson and Richmond Flats at Southgate would be demolished to make way for the development.

The 24-hour supermarket would be two-and-a-half times bigger than the company’s current town centre shop at Viaduct Street – which itself would make way for hotel, offices, bars and apartments.