Huddersfield Town chairman Dean Hoyle’s plea for businesses and Kirklees Council to capitalise on the club’s Premier League status has been echoed by the man masterminding the ambitious HD One development plan for the stadium site.

Mr Hoyle has urged the council and the local business community not the waste the opportunities created by Huddersfield’s spotlight on the world stage, saying: “The football club is in the Premier League for a second season. We’ve done our bit.

“The council and businesses have to take advantage of it. We cannot do any more. We are on the map. We are back for a second year and we will be stronger next year. Everybody crank it up a gear and let’s see where we get to.”

Gareth Davies, managing director of Kirklees Stadium Development Ltd (KSDL) said: “I totally agree with Dean’s comments.

“The Premier League is the most-watched professional sports league in the world. It creates a profile for Huddersfield as a town that is worldwide. Nothing can do that as efficiently as the Premier League.”

He said Town’s worldwide profile should provide opportunities for the many Huddersfield manufacturers exporting around the world.

Gareth Davies, managing director of Kirklees Stadium Development Ltd

And he said it was “a great thing” for the multi-million pound HD One project, which aims to bring a range of leisure and retail facilities to the John Smith’s Stadium site.

“Just as businesses benefit from the spotlight Premier League status shows on manufacturing in Huddersfield, so it is for HD One,” he said.

“One of my aspirations is that it helps to generate more confidence in Huddersfield so that other regeneration projects take hold.

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"For too long, the only cranes on the skyline were the ones at Huddersfield University – where Prof Bob Cryan (vice-chancellor) and his team have done a fantastic job.”

Earlier this month analysis by the Mid Yorkshire of Commerce suggested Premier League status has boosted the local economy by millions of pounds – in terms of visiting supporters spending money in pubs, restaurants, hotels and shops.

Steven Leigh, head of policy at the Huddersfield-based chamber, said it would make “a tremendous difference” to the town’s ability to attract inward investment – as well as helping realise the ambitious plans for HD One.

“That would be a very decisive factor for an investor,” he said. “They would be waiting to see if Huddersfield remained in the division. Being in the Premier League does change things.”

Mr Davies said HD One was “progressing well” with a key target now reached for getting anticipated tenants into “legals” – a major stage in the process of signing up businesses to the scheme.

And he said while some operators in the family restaurant sector – including Cafe Rouge and Prezzo – had faced difficulties in recent months, none of the companies targeted for HD One were on that list.

Mr Davies stressed that construction of the scheme would inevitably be a lengthy process, saying: “The build programme is tied around not creating problems for the football club and rugby league club. Their needs take priority.”

Proposals for HD One include a snow sports centre, a hotel and bars.

In March Kirklees Council revealed it would loan a substantial sum to help set up the snow sports centre.

It follows its pledge to provide a £9m loan to build a Radisson Hotel on the site.

Kirklees says it is “speculating to accumulate” with the project, the loan would be repaid and the terms mean there is an extra margin to cover risk.

Clr Graham Turner, Cabinet member for Resources, said: “It’s an example of the public and private sector working together to invest and create a fantastic facility for Kirklees.

“It will bring visitors from far and wide and be a magnificent asset for our residents.”