What HCS thinks of the plans for Huddersfield’s new Cultural Heart so far

The council plans to demolish the Piazza Centre and create a new events/live music venue, a food hall, a museum and art gallery, a new library and a new multi-storey car park, all centred around a new Town Park.

The new events venue is proposed to accommodate up to 2,200 people; the new museum and art gallery could be located within the existing library building although an extension could provide additional gallery space; a new Town Park will include an outdoor events space for around 3,000 people which will be ‘green’ and family-friendly; the new multi-storey car park to replace the one demolished will include electric vehicle charging points.

All the plans are subject to change and this is Huddersfield Civic Society’s submission to the consultants.

General

• The ambition is unrealistic, particularly in respect of revenue costs in maintaining and running a large events/music venue and possible new build gallery. Huddersfield has a history of failed cultural venues. Options need to consider dropping these over-ambitious elements.
• Block diagrams of what building goes where suggest little flexibility in where each element is placed, creating potential issues if elements are abandoned.
• There is a worrying lack of a business plan,
• The apparent lack of a town wide masterplan which ensures this works with (and does not conflict with) other elements of the blueprint
• Disappointment that Kirklees Council is looking to do it alone rather than introduce one or more partners
• The significant long-term interest commitment. One would hope this was a fixed rate given the current inflationary pressures
• There need to be more emphasis on the relationship of these proposals with other elements of the plan eg future retailing, other key ambitions, development of other ‘quarters’ and other economic elements eg town centre residential development.

      Transport Issues 

• The car park proposal is too small. When the 1,200 seat Huddersfield Town Hall concert hall was sold out concert the former 588 space car park was near capacity.  When this coincided with other events at the theatre, university or Christmas shopping etc it was heavily oversubscribed. The introduction of further event venues will introduce parking volumes way beyond the proposed specification.  If it doesn’t, then it could endanger the commercial viability of the whole quarter.
• Options need to include how people enter, circulate and pass through the site, particularly in relation to other parts of the blueprint area and especially as the cultural quarter ought to be where a vastly enhanced pedestrian flow occurs between town and university.
• Need to consider links to likely future cycle routes across the town centre with provision for large-scale secure cycle/e-cycle parking for all major venues. Access to these locations must be from future cycle routes (ie not from ring-road into the multistorey car park!).

• Attention must be paid to efficient access and egress of all forms of transport if the benefits of the Cultural Quarter are to be realised. This includes:

o   for the car park directly to and from the ring road
o   efficient routes for public transport
o    taxis
o    secure bike storage
Where possible each mode needs to use different access routes possibly:
o    Zetland Street with taxi queuing and a collection/drop off turning circle outside what is planned to be the new cinema (junction of King Street and Zetland Street)
o   Bikes could potentially access along Queen Street and use secure storage in the undercroft (or possibly under a raised section of the open events space on the junction of King Street and Queen Street).

• Buses/coaches routed down Ramsden Street and along Peel Street with identified coach parking off-site following drop-off.
• Support for the reinstatement of Ramsden Street and creation of the perpendicular through-way in order to improve footfall from transport hubs and the university.

        Design Issues

• More consideration needs to be given to reconciling the retention of heritage features in the listed buildings and very poor insulation/heating issues, especially the market.
• Given the concerns over the viability of a large new events area, consideration should be given to relocating the indoor event space into the ‘new building’ introduced to create a ‘positive edge’ along Queen Street.  With careful design this building could open onto (or have views over) the outdoor event area and offer the opportunity of a combined indoor/outdoor event area with potential retractable cover for events, given the uncertainty of Pennine weather.
• The demolition of retail units and arcade adjoining the market hall off Princess Alexandra Walk is supported in order to provide better access into the re-purposed building and highlight its architectural qualities.
• Greater consideration should be given to children’s play within the re-purposed market to complement the food court and provide a focus for families and increase dwell time.
• The relationship between maintaining the existing main entrance (and enhancing its heritage features) in the current library with the proposed rear extension and access require further consideration in relation to pedestrian movement and gallery space.
• The rear extension should incorporate ground floor retail space offering design/craft objects to compliment the gallery.
• Demolition which opens up the whole frontage to King Street is questioned. This street retains the highest footfall and many people do and will focus on the retail offer, not on cultural facilities. Boots provides an important anchor in this respect.
• Any new structures facing on to Queen Street should be articulated (but not pastiche) to respect of the late Georgian character of the street.
• Given the Peel Street elevation to the market is considered ‘inactive’ more thought ought to be given to the relationship between Huddersfield Town Hall and the redeveloped Cultural Heart as well as provision of improved facilities in the town hall ie cafe/bar (of critical importance in assuring the continued use/popularity of the concert hall).