The Locality

The District

The Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees has a population of more than 390,000, is the seventh largest Metropolitan District in England, and has its main base in Huddersfield. The Audit Commission awarded Kirklees Council a four-star rating in 2007, with only Westminster City Council performing better.
The name Kirklees, meaning church meadow, is taken from the ruined Kirklees priory north of Huddersfield, where Robin Hood is reputed to be buried.
The district is one of great contrasts: busy commercial towns divided by large areas of open countryside, a landscape of valleys and woodland, high moorlands and farmland. The district falls into two main parts: Huddersfield and the surrounding area and Dewsbury and north east Kirklees.
The area benefits from its cultural diversity. There are ethnic communities with origins in Bangladesh, the Caribbean, India and Pakistan along with communities of Eastern European origin, who represent about 20% of the college community. Kirklees has a younger than average population, adding to its vibrancy.

Huddersfield and the Surrounding Area

Huddersfield is the largest town in the district with about 130,000 residents. The town is the main shopping and business centre in the district and one of the major industrial centres. Huddersfield University has a considerable local impact, creating a lively presence in the town: it is one of the best in the country in student assessments and many of its departments are amongst the best nationally.
In 2007, Huddersfield made it to number seven in the Royal Bank of Scotland’s Affordable Affluence Index. The study highlighted its wealth of listed buildings and abundance of historic Victorian architecture and development plans as well as its diverse range of shops and good motorway links.
To the south and west of the town the scene is more rural, consisting of small towns and villages, many sheltering in the deep river valleys which cut through this area. It is a mainly agricultural landscape with woodlands adding to the attractive scenery. On the western boundary, moorlands predominate and form part of the Peak District National Park.
Recent years have seen a decline in the textile industry, though a number of new businesses have located in the area and the aspect has become much more residential, with many residents commuting to surrounding towns and cities. The cost of housing and living is very affordable, and there are many attractions within easy reach.
Many people are tempted to the Huddersfield area, both as residents and visitors, by the countryside and the attractive villages, often now designated conservation areas. A number of popular TV programmes are filmed in the area, including 'Last of the Summer Wine' and 'Where the Heart Is.'

Housing

The district offers a range of accommodation in many different types of location. Pennine villages offer new and modernised housing in a rural setting and towns offer modern estates with easy access to all facilities.
Much of the open land is designated as green belt and many of the villages are designated conservation areas.
The majority of housing is privately owned but rented accommodation is available. The quality of housing is high and compared with many areas, the value for money is outstanding.

Shopping

The district is well provided with shopping facilities, from major national chain stores to smaller individual shops selling a variety of goods.
The main shopping centre is Huddersfield a major centre with a number of major retail chain stores with pedestrianised streets and arcades adding to the attractive shopping environment. There is a thriving indoor and open market and several large retail parks on sites near to the town centre. A major new shopping centre - Kingsgate – has recently opened, "anchored" by an upmarket Beatties store. Major shopping centres such as Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield are within easy reach.

Leisure

The area has an abundance of leisure facilities with indoor sports centres throughout the area.

Huddersfield is also a major cultural centre with a strong tradition of music. It is visited regularly by first-class orchestras. The town is famous for its Choral Society and the annual Contemporary Music Festival has become a major international event. The Lawrence Batley Theatre, which opened in 1994, offers a diverse repertoire of drama and music with a smaller Cellar Theatre providing an intimate venue for late night music, comedy, cabaret and small scale theatre.
The award winning Galpharm Stadium is home to Huddersfield Town Football Club and Huddersfield Giants Rugby League Club and hosts many other major events throughout the year, including pop and rock concerts.
Huddersfield is in an ideal location for visiting other major towns and cities. Theatres in Leeds (18 miles), Bradford (15 miles) and Manchester (30 miles) offer a varied programme of national ballet, opera, musicals, plays, variety shows, concerts and pantomimes. Within an hour's drive of Huddersfield there are some beautiful stately homes and the area abounds with museums including the National Museum of Film, Photography and Television in Bradford and the nearby National Coal Mining Museum.
Further afield but within easy reach are the Yorkshire Dales and the North Yorkshire moors, famous for their associations with the Brontës and James Herriot's stories of a country vet. The historic city of York with its medieval shopping streets, Gothic Minster, National Railway Museum and Jorvik Viking Centre is only 45 miles away.

Local Transport

The district has a comprehensive road and public transport network. The M62 and M1 motorways carry traffic around the area. Various bus companies operate through the area providing widespread coverage.
The rail service is both an intercity and local operation. Intercity services run from Huddersfield and Dewsbury on the trans pennine route and via Wakefield on the London route. These services, together with the Huddersfield/Sheffield line, also provide local services to the communities of Kirklees. There is a direct rail link to Manchester airport

See the Kirklees website (www.kirklees.gov.uk) for more information.