Plan for Huddersfield town centre flats to become care home revealed

Huddersfield town centre flats could soon become a care home, though the town’s Civic Society aren’t convinced.

Plans submitted to Kirklees Council from Kirkgate Residence would see part of a block of student flats at Lancaster House, Oldgate, just opposite the Kingsgate Centre car park, transformed into eight one-bedroom flats/maisonettes.

The application relates to just part of the building, covering flats 37 to 48, with the new properties to be available for social or affordable rent. However, two objections have been made in response to the plans so far.

Some of these concerns have been raised by Huddersfield Civic Society which has requested the plans be turned down. The group claims that the building would fail to meet the requirements for a care home under the current plans.

Another objector wrote: “Other towns faced with the fundamental change and decline of the retail sector are recognising that they need to repurpose the town centre as a place for people to live. All categories of people – single people, couples, families. Do that and over time the town centre will revive.

“But in Kirklees our council thinks that re-populating the town centre means redeploying office blocks as student accommodation and now as old people’s flats. How can such a policy contribute to revitalising the town centre?

“This application is proposing tiny flats with very limited space. The only people who would opt to live in such conditions are penniless and desperate. Their quality of life would be very poor. The application should be rejected. We want decent quality housing in the town centre.”

A decision is due from Kirklees Council by April 3.

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