Northdale Advisors in £32m swoop for Huddersfield shopping centre

The centre totals 280,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space and attracts more than 4.7 million visitors a year, generating an annual rental income of approximately £4.5m.

The scheme was opened in 2002 and has been owned and managed by WD since its development.

Anchor tenants include The Light, Sports Direct, TK Maxx and Boots, which is due to open this year.

The Light, a 70,000 sq ft cinema and leisure complex, which opened in April 2025, replaced the former House of Fraser store.

“This is the end of our 30-year involvement with Kingsgate,” said Peter Everest, chief executive of WD.

“From its original construction and through a changing retail landscape, it has evolved into a diverse retail and leisure centre that will be the heart of Huddersfield for years to come.”

Josh Vernon, partner in Cushman & Wakefield’s retail capital markets team, who represented WD , said the depth of interest during the sale process demonstrated a “broadening appeal of the shopping centre investment market.”

He added: “Since launching to the market, the asset has generated a significant amount of attention from investors due to its clear potential and opportunities to grow revenue. This includes building on the strong leasing activity taking place within the centre and enhancing the F&B [food and beverage] offering to create a leisure quarter.”

John Griffin, joint managing director and head of investment at LM, which acted for Northdale Advisors, said: “This purchase is a great example of that strategy in practice, with its evolving leisure offering and the potential to further enhance the scheme to support the wider ‘cultural heart’ regeneration being delivered by Kirklees Council.”