THE exciting future for Huddersfield will be debated next week.

Members of the public have been invited to join councillors to discuss major regeneration plans.

And they will be told investment in the town over the next few years could reach an astonishing £750m!

The chairman of one of Kirklees Council's area committees for Huddersfield today urged people to assess for themselves the impact on the town of the package of regeneration plans.

Next Tuesday the Huddersfield South Area Committee will be having a special briefing on the various projects planned.

Members of the Huddersfield North Area Committee have been invited to the presentation, which starts at 8pm in the Reception Room at Huddersfield Town Hall.

Clr Peter McBride said the presentation provided an opportunity for people to get an insight into the impact of the overall package to transform Huddersfield and surrounding areas.

He added: "It is expected that £750m could be invested in the next 10 years.

"Every part of the town will be affected, with massive investment in retail, commerce, service industries, housing and leisure, improvements to St George's Square and the environment of other parts of the town centre.

"The meeting provides the opportunity for people to see proposals for all quarters of the town and beyond, and how they all link together.

"The scale of them all together gives some idea of the potential of the town, and the confidence developers have in the future prosperity of Huddersfield.

"This places a major responsibility on the council and councillors to make sure that the best of the existing town is maintained and enhanced and that innovative new features will be sustainable and give lasting benefit.

"The Queensgate Revival Project covering the Library, Market Hall and Piazza area has a potential investment value of £200m."

Clr McBride went on: "Similarly, the Waterfront Development blueprint down Chapel Hill is a significant regeneration opportunity to provide a high-quality development of housing, commercial and office space, together with restaurants and other facilities.

"This is another investment potential running into hundreds of millions of pounds.

"The Kirklees Strategic Economic Zone has the potential for £100m investment to support 5,000 jobs.

"Linked to this is the work to assess and promote a potential £200m transformation of a main link between the town centre and the Galpharm Stadium, together with plans by the stadium company for further development at the complex.

"These are just a snapshot of the main activities going on, which councillors and area committees need to consider in their entirety and have their input into how they go forward."

* A new look for St George's Square

* Work is planned for the old railway warehouse

* Queensgate Revival: A £200m scheme centred on The Piazza, Public Library and Queensgate Market Hall

* The Waterfront Quarter: A huge scheme to regenerate a slice of land off Chapel Hill

* Media Centre project

* The Leeds Road corridor is set to be the heart of a new economic zone attracting more than £100m investment.