Former council plant nurseries up for sale

A CONTROVERSIALLY-axed Kirklees Council plant nursery is up for sale.

Councillors have agreed to flog the mothballed Bradley Nurseries site, off the A62 Leeds Road, to the highest bidder.

The nurseries – which had been used by Huddersfield authorities for about 150 years – were closed last year with the council saying it was cheaper to buy plants from a commercial firm.

But it was later discovered Kirklees had outsourced much of its plant growing to another local authority – Darlington Council.

Bizarrely, Darlington Council had no plant growing facilities of its own either, and supplied 23 other councils using a third-party facility.

Kirklees is purchasing other plants such as hanging baskets from a private nursery near Wakefield.

The move to put the 4.7-acre site at Station Road on the market was agreed by the council’s cabinet on Tuesday.

Councillors were told there was already interest in the high-profile site, adjacent to one of the busiest roads in Huddersfield.

Officials have revealed “several unsolicited offers” have already been made by prospective developers.

The land is earmarked for “employment” use in the yet-to-be approved planning blueprint – the Local Plan.

A report says some “abnormal ground conditions” and contamination had been found in a survey, which could devalue the site slightly.

Cabinet member Clr Graham Turner, said: “It’s no longer used by the council.

“It’s a strategic site and I’m sure it will attract interest.

“It should provide a decent capital receipt for the council.

“Given we have to find £54m in savings by this time next year it’s vital we maximise what we get for assets we no longer need.”

An updated valuation will now take place and the site, close to the Tesco Express at Bradley, will be marketed for sale.