Kirklees Council has appointed BAM UK & Ireland as principal contractor for Phase 2 of the Our Cultural Heart regeneration in Huddersfield, a £55.9 million contract covering the conversion of the Grade II-listed former Huddersfield Library into a new museum and art gallery alongside demolition of the adjacent Piazza Shopping Centre; the contract was awarded under the Crown Commercial Service Construction Works and Associated Services framework.

BAM UK & Ireland is the UK and Irish division of Royal BAM Group N.V. (AMS: BAMNB), a Bunnik-headquartered listed Dutch construction group. For H1 2026, BAM UK & Ireland reported total revenue of €1.73 billion (£1.48 billion), up 4%, with adjusted EBITDA of €98 million (£84 million), up 48%, and an order book of €6.1 billion.

BAM UK Construction returned to profitability in FY2025 following the Co-op Live Manchester losses, generating a £27 million profit on £979 million revenue. Kirklees Council is the developer and client for the Our Cultural Heart masterplan. BAM delivered Phase 1 of the programme including the Queensgate Market food hall conversion, library hub and new public square.

The structural driver is the UK government's Levelling Up and Town Deal funding channelling capital into Northern England town centre regeneration. The Our Cultural Heart programme is the largest capital investment in Huddersfield town centre for decades, and Phase 2 combines two structurally distinct challenges: listed building conversion of a 1930s public building with significant heritage constraints, and demolition enabling future phases of the masterplan including a large urban park.

BAM's Phase 1 continuity, delivering the public square and library hub conversions, is the risk management rationale for the Phase 2 appointment: the council carries lower delivery risk with a contractor that already understands the programme's heritage and logistics constraints.

For the sector, the Our Cultural Heart appointment confirms BAM's UK building business is actively competing for and winning complex public sector regeneration contracts following its profit recovery, with Northern England town centre regeneration representing a growing pipeline under current UK government spending priorities.

Source: thebusinessdesk.com / constructionenquirer.com / constructionnews.co.uk / bam.com