The future of Black Cat Fireworks in Huddersfield is up in the air.

The iconic firm has revealed that it will be moving on to make way for 700 homes.

A spokesman for the company has confirmed to the Examiner that they are looking for new premises.

The historic firm, part of the LF Europe group, formerly Standard Fireworks, does not own the site from which it operates.

The owners of the land, Empire Knight Group, want to create a large development featuring hundreds of homes, a care home for the elderly and open community areas.

It is not clear if the factory’s relocation is a mutual decision.

A spokesman for the developers denied Black Cat was being evicted, saying it was hoped they would relocate without any job losses.

Fireworks were produced at the Crosland Moor factory from 1910 until the late 1990s when manufacturing was shifted to China.

The site, used to produce munitions during the two world wars, is still the UK headquarters but it is thought large parts of it are unused.

Land around Black Cat’s premises was earmarked for development when Kirklees Council’s Local Plan was first revealed two years ago.

At that time, the firework company denied their 100 acre site, opposite Crosland Heath Golf Course, was included.

But it has now emerged that it is and work on a scheme is well underway.

A community consultation meeting about the proposal is set to be hosted at Crosland Hill Methodist Church from 2.30pm until 8pm next Tuesday.

LF Europe home of Standard and Black Cat Fireworks, Crosland Moor.

Austin Brown, general manager at Black Cat Fireworks, said it was too early to say where the firm would move to.

But he said “the business would continue to run as normal” in the meantime.

In a letter to Kirklees Council, Gerald Eve, planning consultants acting for Empire Knight Group, admitted finding a site capable of producing fireworks might not be easy.

The Crosland Moor site is one of only a handful in Kirklees that has a Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) licence.

It is thought the red tape around gaining a new COMAH licence could make planning more difficult.

They have cautiously predicted that 150 to 250 homes could be built within five years and a further 250 by 2031. The rest would come at some point after that.

The plan for 700 homes comes amid long awaited proposals to transform the nearby former St Luke’s hospital into more than 200 homes and a retail park.

It is about seven years since the former mental health hospital off Blackmoorfoot Road was mothballed and more than two years since planning permission was granted.

To find out more about the consultation ring 0800 1303353 between 9am and 5.30pm, Monday to Friday or email info@croslandconsultation.com