Council share update as Huddersfield Giants dealt major blow in bid to build stadium on preferred location

Huddersfield Giants have been dealt a major blow in their bid to build a new stadium in their preferred location, with the Kirklees Council providing an update.

Owner Ken Davy has made it clear that he intends to take the Giants away from the John Smith’s Stadium and move to a smaller and purpose-built stadium in Huddersfield.

He has been clear on the fact that he does not intend to take the Giants away from Huddersfield and that the proposed move is part of a bid to help make the club more competitive by moving to a stadium more in line with their current size.

At present, the Giants draw in an average crowd of just over 4,000 in a stadium built for more than 24,000 making it almost impossible to generate an atmosphere and make their home ground a fortress.

The weekend’s game saw them play at Dewsbury’s ground on account of a Stereophonics gig at the John Smith’s Stadium and the atmosphere generated in the smaller stadium was recognisably better, and emulates the vision that Davy has.

Davy has confirmed the the Gasworks site to be his preferred location with planning permission set to go in, however, a Kirklees Council spokesperson has now offered an update which could stall that plan.

Huddersfield Giants dealt stadium blow as council confirm plans

Yorkshire Live have spoken with a Kirklees Council spokesperson who has confirmed the council do not actually own the site, nor is it designated for the building of a stadium.

Instead, the land sits at the heart of a government scheme with the focus being on “boosting business innovation, productivity and growth, and supporting the commercialisation of health and wellbeing research”.

Davy has previously noted the council’s reluctance to release the land for building a stadium, however, this fresh statement is another blow.

Per Yorkshire Live, a spokesperson explained: “While the council does not own the site available for development on Gasworks Street, this site sits right at the centre of the council’s Station to Stadium Enterprise Corridor, which for Kirklees is the focus of the government’s West Yorkshire Investment Zone – one of only eight up and down the country – where, alongside other local authorities, we’re receiving a fantastic funding injection to support one of our fastest-growing local industries.

“The site at Gasworks Street is perfectly placed for investment by a business who could really capitalise on this crucial connection. On this basis, the land is a crucial component of the Station to Stadium Enterprise Corridor. At present, the site isn’t allocated for development for sports and leisure.

“In the meantime, any application put forward to develop a brand new stadium – at Gasworks Street or any other location – would need to follow our usual planning process, and we would consider these plans in detail at the point an application was submitted.”

Currently, Huddersfield Giants plan to play at The Shay in 2026 in a groundshare with Halifax Panthers and Halifax Town, but Davy has admitted there is no guarantee of that yet despite him investing in the pitch and stadium.