Wakefield Council has appointed the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) to manage a design competition for Castleford Forum - a new library, museum and gallery for the town.  

Niall McLaughlin Architects from London have been selected to produce designs for Castleford Forum, following a competition which attracted over 60 expressions of interest from design teams across the world.  The Jury Panel, chaired by Wakefield Council Leader, Cllr Peter Box, selected the designer from a shortlist of six practices drawn up with the help of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) who organised the competition. 

Niall McLaughlin is now working up plans for the town's flagship building which will house a Library, Museum and Gallery and showcase Castleford's importance on various fronts including being the birthplace of world-famous sculptor, Henry Moore and an ancient Roman settlement. 

The Forum is to be developed alongside  proposals for the £50m regeneration of the town centre by Edinburgh House Estates  which will see the development of:-

• A new supermarket,
• An extension to Carlton Lanes Shopping Centre,
• A new indoor market hall
• Residential apartments. 

The scheme is identified as a key project within the recently completed Urban Renaissance Strategy for the Five Towns.  In June 2005, six concept designs produced by the shortlisted designers were put on display in The Regeneration Centre on Sagar Street and Carlton Lanes Shopping Centre for people to comment on.