DEVELOPING the Chapel Hill site presents Huddersfield with a major opportunity, it was said today.
The £200m Waterfront Quarter development is being backed by Sellers International group chairman David Armitage and the engineering firm's managing director, Tim Sugden.
They have set up Ramsden & Colne Developments (RCD) to tackle the scheme in partnership with Mike Kehoe and Paul Sheen, of Liverpool-based property developer Castlebridge Developments.
RCD's directors also include businessman and former Huddersfield Town captain Trevor Cherry.
Mr Armitage and Mr Sugden presented their plans at a meeting of Huddersfield councillors today.
If the scheme is approved, work could get under way in 2007.
The 12-acre site is primarily occupied by Sellers Engineering, but it includes Kirklees Council premises at West Riding House and Grey Horse Yard behind the Rat and Ratchet. Sellers hopes to find a new site by the end of this year.
Mr Sugden said the Chapel Hill site was now too large for Sellers.
He said: "We run an engineering business which employed 240 people at its peak. Over the past 15 years those numbers have dropped and stabilised at about 90. The operation is no longer viable on this site."
Mr Armitage said: "The development scheme presents an opportunity for us to move to purpose-built premises and invest up to £6m in new machinery.
"It is also an opportunity for the town. It is going to bring jobs with new commercial offices and apartments as well as car parking and some retailing."
Mr Sugden said the scheme depended on Sellers finding a new site.
"There will always be a place for a specialist engineering business," he said. "By investing in the business, we hope to create more opportunity for general engineering work as well as making machines for textile manufacturing."
Mr Armitage said: "The Waterfront Quarter provides benefits all round.
"We will lose no engineering jobs and we will create a scheme which will support and protect the viability of Huddersfield town centre."
