New plans have been submitted for the new Huddersfield Museum and Art Gallery to be created within the former library building.

As part of the £262 million Our Cultural Heart scheme, the grade II-listed building was originally going to house just a museum with a new art gallery built opposite in Queen Street.

However, the rising costs of the development meant Kirklees Council decided to incorporate both the museum and an art gallery in the former library.

That has meant a significant re-design and a new planning application has been submitted.

Originally, the entrance was to remain in the same place however now some demolition work will take place on the North side – facing the old BHS store – and an extension with an entrance lobby, shop and café will be built.

Work on Our Cultural Heart has been split into phases to keep a close control on costs. Work is underway on Phase 1, to create a food hall and new library in the former Queensgate Market building.

 

 

 

 

Demolition of the old shops at the front is underway and an extension will be built on to accommodate the library. There will also be an events square outside.

The latest estimate from the council says construction work will be completed in April 2026 with the food hall and library open a few months later in summer 2026.

Phase 2 will be the construction of the museum and art gallery but it is likely to be 2026 before work starts. The building work could be completed by autumn 2027 but the facilities won’t open until early 2029.

There will be a garden outside the museum but that won’t be created until later as the land will be needed during the construction of the vacant plot in Queen Street, what would have been the stand-alone art gallery.

Greenhead College had been interested but has now pulled out and the council is going to look at residential uses or the potential for a hotel.

The Queen Street plot will be Phase 3 of the development with an urban park as Phase 4.

The much-heralded music and events venue with multi-storey car park – on the site of the demolished former multi-storey – will be Phase 5. There is no indication of timescales for phases 3, 4 or 5.

Councillors will be given an update on progress of the Our Cultural Heart scheme at a meeting of the Growth and Regeneration Scrutiny Panel on Monday September 23.