The plan to build a supermarket at the former Kirklees College site has been shelved.

It has emerged the developer behind the scheme pulled out of the much anticipated revamp some time late last year.

Oldham based Wiggett Construction first revealed its plans to transform the mothballed college site next to Huddersfield ring road in 2015.

The so called Trinity Central scheme included a bigger brand new Lidl to replace the ageing store further down Castlegate.

The 1970s buildings off Trinity Street, which have become a target for vandals and arsonists, were to be demolished.

The scheme was approved in June 2016 and work was said to be imminent.

Trinity Central proposal for the former Kirklees College site featuring a Lidl supermarket

Amid the spate of fires last autumn, questions were asked about why no work had begun.

At the time Kirklees College said there was a delay with the contract but did not reveal what the issue was.

But it has now admitted Wiggett has pulled out and it is in talks with a new firm.

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Melanie Brooke, Acting Deputy Principal at Kirklees College, said: “Although Wiggett Construction no longer have an interest in the New North Road site, the college has been working with an alternative developer, who are currently carrying out some initial site investigation work.

“We are hopeful that the college will be in a position to announce exciting new plans in the near future as we are keen to see the site developed with a new organisation on board.”

Leader of Kirklees Council, Clr David Sheard, said he knew there had been issues with the deal but had not been given a specific reason why it had fallen apart.

Wiggett had spent about two years planning the revamp.

Along with the new Lidl it had also compiled plans to revamp the historic premises on the other side of the site.

The former Kirklees College building

A deal to build retirement flats on the car park off New North Road had apparently been signed and talks were under way to bring a health facility in to the former Huddersfield Infirmary.

Wiggett had vowed to retain the architecturally significant parts of the site, including the statue of Edward VII.

The scheme was given approval by Kirklees Council’s strategic planning committee at the second attempt, following initial concerns about the design of the Lidl.

A spokesman for Wiggett told the Examiner they had pulled out “months ago” but they did not want to say more.

Clr Andrew Cooper, whose Newsome ward covers the site, said: “It’s disappointing we’ve got this far along the road and we’ve been let down.

“It seems to be a poor environment for developers at the moment as we’ve seen with Newsome Mills, which had planning permission but work never began.”