Kirklees Council is expected to approve a one-year extension to a £7 million loan granted to the developers of Huddersfield’s Kingsgate Shopping Centre. The loan, initially issued in 2021 to WD Kingsgate Ltd, supported the conversion of the former House of Fraser unit into The Light, a leisure complex that opened in April.
The funding came from the council’s £25 million Property Investment Fund, aimed at driving regeneration across the borough. The original repayment deadline was set for July 2025.
The Light, part of the broader Kingsgate redevelopment, features a cinema, bowling lanes, arcade games, and various leisure activities, designed to increase foot traffic and encourage longer dwell times in Huddersfield town centre. The council views the site as a key component of its Huddersfield Blueprint, a regeneration strategy focused on economic revitalisation through mixed-use developments and destination experiences.
The proposed loan extension will be presented to the Cabinet next week. The council says the move supports continued growth, investor interest, and commercial viability within the town centre, ahead of further planned developments such as the Our Cultural Heart project.
