THE controversial revamp of Huddersfield’s St George’s Square has been hit by delays.
Now members of a Kirklees Council committee are demanding answers from the council’s Conservative Cabinet about the hold-ups, which are causing problems for businesses and commuters.
Clr John Smithson, who chairs the Huddersfield town centre sub-committee, said he believed the work was up to two months behind schedule.
But Clr Ken Sims, Cabinet member for regeneration, insists the delays are weeks and not months.
He blamed bad weather and also the need to ensure health and safety is given top priority.
Clr Smithson has written to Clr Sims informing him of the sub group’s decision to begin “formally” pursuing the matter with the council.
The letter raises a raft of the concerns brought to the attention of members of the sub group by local people and businesses.
It also asks to be told when the work will be competed by, what sort of guarantees are being given by the contractors and what the council will receive in the way of compensation.
Clr Smithson said: “The St George’s Square development becomes more of a shambles with each passing day.
“The project is way behind schedule and the Cabinet member needs to get a grip and start pinning the developers down to some serious commitments.
“At the moment the whole thing looks and feels chaotic and poorly organised.
“And for people visiting the town, it gives a terrible first impression.
“We want reassurance from Clr Sims that the whip has been cracked and the council will begin to see some dramatic changes in the development immediately. We also want to know what sort of compensation package has been agreed.
“We would be very displeased to learn that the developers were going to get away without paying back any public money whatsoever.”
The multi-million pound scheme attracted criticism when the council laid granite setts in some areas, some of them pink.
These were brought around the world from China, instead of using local York stone.
The materials used ignored English Heritage’s advice for the prestigious Victorian square outside the grade one listed station building.
There have also been complaints from pedestrians, commuters and staff working in St George’s Square and using the railway station.
Roads and pavements have been closed and re-opened to suit the work.
Freezing cold weather is one of the reasons being blamed as work progresses to install fountains across the centre of the square.
Clr Sims said: “The disruption in the Square was inevitable with a project of this scale.
“We are behind, but only by about three weeks.
“There have been some logistical problems and we also suffered with the freezing cold weather, which meant the contractors could not lay certain aggregates.
“We have also had to be very careful about health and safety, both for people working on the site and people using the Square and I hope people realise that has to be a top priority.
“I would hope the scheme will be complete by the end of February, but again we are subject to the weather.”
