University of Huddersfield moves forwards with new building on £250m campus

Construction of the Daphne Steele building is well underway and a further planning application relating to ‘reserved matters’ – things that weren’t addressed in the previous application – has now been submitted for the campus’ next building which will sit alongside it. This will host a Community Diagnostic Centre Hub (CDC) on its ground floor which will give the people of Huddersfield and Calderdale access to thousands of additional diagnostic tests like MRI and CT scans.

The CDC will be the first of its kind on a university campus and delivered in partnership with the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust.

Catherine Riley, Associate Director of Strategy at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, said: “It’s a privilege to work with our partners at the University of Huddersfield on this exciting project. Not only will the new community diagnostic centre benefit the people of Huddersfield and the surrounding areas, but it will also benefit the next generation of healthcare students and support our future diagnostic workforce.”

An artist's impression of the National Health Innovation Campus. Credit: University of Huddersfield. Available for use across all LDRS partners

University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bob Cryan, said: “I am absolutely delighted to be working with Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust to deliver such an important facility for people in our community.

“It is at the heart of our Health Innovation Campus – which has been designed to help make a difference to the health and wellbeing of all of us in the region. This is a concrete symbol of the important role the University plays in working with the health professions, educating the workforce of the future, and driving innovation for better health, care and wellbeing.”

It is expected that these will provide access to state-of-the-art simulation technology enabling students to learn in a safe, but realistic clinical environment. The third floor will provide facilities for expansion in other areas, including the intention to develop courses in fields such as Dental Hygiene.

Plans are under way for the top floor of Building Two to house a Health and Wellbeing Innovation Centre for local entrepreneurs or start-ups and organisations looking to benefit from locating with the University on the campus.

Building work is scheduled to begin in April 2024, with completion in the summer of 2025.