198-bed PBSA Given Green Light in Huddersfield

Kirklees Council's Strategic Planning Committee in Huddersfield have approved plans for a 198-bed student accommodation in the town centre.

Dating back to the 70s, the site at Crown House in Southgate was previously home to the Department for Work and Pensions and later Huddersfield Job Centre. It has been derelict since the closure of the Job Centre in 2019.

Plans for the accommodation consist of 9 storeys totalling 198 fully-equipped studio flats.

The building will also include facilities for the residents such as a gym, cafe, cinema room, and communal spaces for socialising and studying.

The exterior of the building will be clad in a soft grey with vertical stripes in a reflective copper colour.

Councillors voted unanimously in favour of the project, with some stating they were "delighted" by the plans.

Councillor Mohan Sokhal (Greenhead, Labour) said: "This building has been empty for many years now and it's very prominent on the Ring Road. I would like to support this app to bring it back to use next to the Huddersfield University building."

A contribution to the council of £283,173 to improve public open space nearby will be made by the applicant, along with a further £20,000 to improve two bus stops in Leeds Road.