Castleford Henry Moore Square

54a Carlton Street Castleford a modern building with a blue front with bright green accents

Wakefield Council invites applications for the lease of 54a Carlton Street in Castleford. The former Co-op building, and a prominent location in the heart of the town centre.

Castleford is a proud, historic market town with a population of around 45,000. Situated 8 miles south of Leeds and 6 miles east of Wakefield. It offers a lively town centre with a popular market (trading six days a week.) Alongside a strong mix of independent businesses and well-known national brands.

54a Carlton Street is part of a row of 2-3 storey retail units on Henry Moore Square. Its neighbours include Specsavers and Savers.

The building is set to undergo a full refurbishment.

This includes:

creating a modern shell-and-core interior
improving its visual appearance

Once complete, this unit will offer an exciting opportunity. Ideal for a forward-thinking organisation to establish a commercial or community-focused outlet. Located in a prime, high-footfall location.

The refurbishment forms part of the Towns Fund regeneration programme underway across Castleford. This includes:

major upgrades to the town centre and Henry Moore Square
improvements along Sagar Street (which runs next to the building.)
wider investment stretching to the riverside and Queen’s Mill.

These projects will help make Castleford more vibrant, accessible, and better connected. Whilst strengthening the local economy and supporting long-term regeneration.

About the Building

The unit will offer a great opportunity for an organisation to set up in a large space in the heart of Castleford.

a CGI image of a modern looking building with a grey cladding front

Figure 1. Proposed external design

The unit will offer a great opportunity for an organisation to set up in a large space in the heart of Castleford.

The building is opposite the lively Castleford Market – a key footfall area. This location is close to:

key amenities
public transport links
other major footfall generators across the town

Nearby connections

Castleford Bus Station – 7-minute walk
Castleford Train Station – 6-minute walk· Bridge Street Car Park – 2-minute walk
Carlton Lanes Shopping Centre – 1-minute walk

The building sits in a great spot and has a fresh, modern look. It is a strong chance for a business or community group to make an impact in Castleford town centre.

We expect the building will be ready for occupation in Summer 2026.

The Space

The unit offers:

8,911 sq. ft of total space
3,003 sq. ft of retail space. Giving occupiers plenty of space to make their mark in Castleford town centre.
a shared service yard on Wesley Street. Providing easy access for deliveries and operations.

A map of the location of 54a Carlton Street

Figure 2 . Premises Layout/Location

Ground Floor:

a spacious 3003 sq ft open-plan area, finished to a white box standard and ready for a wide range of uses
storage area and kitchen: (2526 sq ft) ideal for storage, back of house operations etc
electric doors and external security shutters to the front

Figure 3. Floor plan, ground floor

Mezzanine Floor:

office space (934 sq ft) - Suitable for a range of uses, offices, storage etc

Figure 4. Floor plan, mezzanine floor

First Floor:

large (2450 sq ft) open plan space. Perfect for storage, staff facilities, further retail space etc

Figure 5. Floor plan, First floor

Uses

The building is being refurbished to be flexible and accommodate a wide variety of uses. Potential activities could include - but are not limited to:

retail
community services
professional services
leisure uses
suitable night-time economy offerings

We welcome interest from any group with a strong plan for the space. We will look at all suitable applications, subject to necessary planning approvals**

Expectations

Our goal is to find a strong and stable enterprise. That will help the area and offer high quality services for the people of Castleford.

The Council plans to offer the property on a full repairing and insuring (FRI) lease. Final terms will be agreed during the appointment process. The Council cannot subsidise applicants. Groups must show they have the right skills and enough funds to run the building in a stable way.

We ask groups to send a tenancy proposal and a five year business plan. These must show how you will work with residents, run a stable business, and add to the town. Help is available from our Business Support Team if needed.

**The premises have planning approval for retail use. We welcome ideas that need a change of use. But any licences, approvals, or planning applications must be paid for and arranged by the leaseholder.

Application

The application process will follow a single-stage submission. To apply, please complete our 54a Carlton Street application form in full. And provide all requested supporting information.

We’re seeking applicants with a strong vision for boosting vibrancy and pride in place. Organisations that can:

attract footfall into Castleford
become a valued part of the community
maximise the potential of this regenerated building

How to submit your application

Please submit your application to the Regeneration team: regeneration@wakefield.gov.uk

Deadline for submission: Noon - Friday 06 March 2026.

Site visits can be planned if required.

Next Steps

Once we get your Expression of Interest (EOI), Council teams will review it and compare it with all other submissions. Each EOI will be scored, and the highest scoring applicant will be contacted to move forward and agree the final lease terms.

The Council’s preferred approach is to enter into a lease agreement where:

the leaseholder can pay, or is able to work towards paying, a market rent for the unit
the leaseholder pays all costs for the property, following a standard commercial lease
the agreement covers the entire property