Kirklees Council has awarded BAM Construct UK a £55m contract for the second phase of the Our Cultural Heart regeneration programme in Huddersfield.
The second phase of the town centre redevelopment will include construction of a new museum and art gallery, together with demolition of the Piazza Shopping Centre. Main works are scheduled to run from 7 May 2026 until 20 October 2028.
The contract was procured through a call-off arrangement under Crown Commercial Service’s Construction Works and Associated Services framework, using lot 4.1 for schemes valued between £30m and £80m.
In 2023, Kirklees Council appointed BAM Construct UK as main contractor for the £53m first phase of the Our Cultural Heart programme, which is due to complete later this year.
That first phase includes delivery of a food hall, a flagship library and archive facility, and a new public square replacing the former 1960s Queensgate Market Hall and shopping centre.
Subcontractors involved in phase one include GRK Civils for groundworks operations and CCL Facades for curtain walling works.
The council approved the wider Our Cultural Heart masterplan in spring 2023, with surveys and preparatory works beginning on site later that year. Construction on the first phase started in summer 2024, while funding approval for phase two was granted in January 2025.
The library hub and public square forming part of phase one are expected to open in summer 2026, coinciding with the start of construction on the museum and gallery development.
According to the council’s programme, the food hall is scheduled to open in spring 2027.
Construction of the museum and gallery is expected to finish during winter 2027/28, followed by internal fit-out works ahead of a planned public opening in spring 2029.
