HUDDERSFIELD CIVIC SOCIETY MEMBERS’ NEWS

Members Newsletter.  May 2026. Contents 1.         Castle Hill.  What’s happened?  What’s next? 2.         Huddersfield Open Market.  Plans are approved. 3.         Hillhouse Coal Chutes.  Delivering coal via the tram network. 4.         BT Street Hubs.  BT has applied to install seven. 5.         Kirklees Local Plan. What is it and when will we see it? 6.         Dates for your diary.  Visits and events for HCS members and others. 1.         Castle Hill.  What’s happened? And what’s next? Mike Woodward, HCS Committee Member. Kirklees Council Strategic Planning Committee approved plans for building on Castle Hill at a meeting on 19 February.  The building, on three … Read more

Welcome to our short April newsletter which covers: A full HCS newsletter will follow in late April covering the wide range of issues on which HCS is active as well as reviewing our March events. There will be special coverage reflecting the concerns many feel about the recent Kirklees Council decision to approve longstanding and controversial plans for a café/restaurant/hotel complex on the summit of Castle Hill, a greenbelt site inside a hillfort that is a scheduled ancient monument and forms an important part of the setting of the (listed) Victoria Tower. The ‘new’ HCS committee. Members of the committee … Read more

Welcome to our March newsletter which covers: And finally, we thank all those who have renewed their subscriptions for 2026. If you haven’t already done so, please visit our website via this link to make a card payment at your earliest convenience. Picture That! Have you looked recently at the photographs of Huddersfield on the HCS website https://huddersfieldcivicsociety.org.uk/gallery/ with the great photo of Estate Buildings at the top of this update recently added. When you look back at how our town has changed, can you remember what happened when? Was a picture of the George Hotel surrounded by scaffolding taken … Read more

Welcome to our newsletter which this month covers: Recent Dialogue with Kirklees Council In late January two small teams from HCS each held meetings with officers at Kirklees council.  The primary intention was to re-establish contact with council officers and to confirm their roles and responsibilities.  The first meeting discussed ongoing work within the council to draw up a new Kirklees Local Plan. It also looked at concerns about planning enforcement. The second meeting looked at current and future plans for regenerating Huddersfield town centre. All local authorities must produce a Local Plan. It’s a statutory, community-influenced document to guide … Read more

Welcome to our newsletter which this month covers: HCS New Year Social Event  Due to the popularity of previous events we are again planning a social event on Thursday, January 22, 2026, arrivals between 6.30pm and 7pm. We are again grateful to our Deputy Chairman John Eastwood who has kindly offered to host the event in the magnificence and splendour of his rather classy private function room (pictured above) on the 4th floor of Westins Mill, St Andrew’s Road, Huddersfield, HD1 6NA. Food and drink will be provided as well as the chance to win a prize by taking part … Read more

Welcome to our newsletter which this month covers: Reports on Recent Events The Turnbridge Mills complex sits either side of Quay Street next to the Turnbridge Lift Bridge and forms one of the development zones in Huddersfield’s Station to Stadium Enterprise Corridor. John L Brierley bought Turnbridge Mills on the south side of Quay Street in 1895 to expand the textile business he had started two years earlier on Firth Street. In 1925, Hirst’s Mill on the north side of Quay Street was acquired from William Hirst to create the footprint the site now occupies. The tour for 26 of … Read more

Upcoming Events Turnbridge Mills visit, 3pm Thursday 2 October 2025 (still a few places left) A reminder to those who have registered about the upcoming visit to Turnbridge Mills (main picture for this Members’ Update). John L Brierley started his own company and began making yarn in 1893, purchasing the ‘JLB’ mill in 1895 to accommodate his successful and expanding business. We will see some of the production in action (twisting, winding, beaming, section warping and sizing) as we explore the history of this well-known building and find out what the future holds as plans are drawn up to develop … Read more

HCS Events REMINDER: Talk “Mills Transformed” at 7pm on Wednesday, September 17, 2025 at the Brian Jackson Centre, 2 New North Parade, Huddersfield, HD1 5JP. As part of the 2025 Heritage Open Days festival and following a successful exhibition at Bradford Industrial Museum, HCS and Huddersfield Local History Society have invited photographer Neil Horsley to give a presentation based on the exhibition but with additional local examples of successful conversion projects. This will be introduced by John Lambe, Historic Places Advisor for Historic England who has a focus on mills. This event is free to attend as part of Heritage … Read more

Since the Society’s AGM on March 26, 2025 the role of Chair of the Society continues to be split between members of the Society’s committee. Members’ newsletters are currently being edited by HCS committee members on a rotating basis, this month’s being edited by Adrian Pitts and Howard Smith with contributions from committee members. Memberships As noted in the last Newsletter a review of membership information has been carried out with final reminders issued and with those not responding being removed from the normal circulation. If you have not paid this year’s subscriptions or wish to join/rejoin please visit https://huddersfieldcivicsociety.org.uk/join- … Read more

Since the Society’s AGM on March 26, 2025 the role of Chair of the Society is being split between members of the Society’s committee. Members’ newsletters are currently being edited by HCS committee members on a rotating basis, this month’s being edited by Geoff Hughes, HCS Secretary, with contributions from committee members. This issue is longer than usual in order to incorporate additional items and photographs. Membership news Following a review of membership information final reminders will be issued in the next few days to members who have not yet remitted their 2025 subscription. If you would like to pay … Read more

There are several events coming up and here are all the details Discover Huddersfield Walks Programme 2025 During May there are three walks which will provide a diverse understanding of our area’s historic and social history. On May 4 David Griffiths will lead a walk around Greenhead Park explaining how the park was created and evolved. The places associated with the development and cultural associations of Huddersfield’s African Caribbean community will be revealed by Natalie Pinnock-Hamilton and Heather Norris Nicholson on May 18. Then on May 29 is the first evening walk of the season, exploring Marsden and the growth … Read more

If you didn’t make it to our AGM you may not know that I formally stood down as chairman after seven years in the post. It will be a few weeks before committee colleagues take up some of my work tasks so I’ve agreed to make this my final Update before passing the baton on. HCS AGM and Presentation by Historic England, March 26, 2025 Our AGM, details of which will be published on the website shortly, was followed by a fascinating insight by Charles Smith, Policy Director at Historic England, called Heritage – Looking To The future’. Charles, who … Read more