HCS Members’ Update November 2024
Castle Hill Development: Application for Scheduled Ancient Monuments Consent submitted
Following my last update in which I referred to an application submitted for reserved matters by the Thandi Partnership but emphasised that no Scheduled Ancient Monuments consent had yet been approved by Historic England, I now understand that an application has been made for consideration.
Having contacted Historic England I remain unsure about the procedures involved in deciding the matter, particularly with regard to any opportunity for HCS and other organisations to outline their major concerns and objections, thoroughly articulated at the time of the planning application, which Kirklees subsequently approved.
The HCS Committee will liaise with other organisations to explore what can be done to prevent this consent being given.
Town Centre Masterplan – The George Hotel
No doubt some will have noticed that work on the George Hotel had stopped. This raised concerns that the Kirklees Council was encountering financial difficulties with regard to construction costs and these issues have now been outlined in a report that will be considered by Kirklees Cabinet on November 5. It indicates that a further £9.8 million will be required to ensure the work is completed and the hotel management agreement with the Radisson Hotel Group is secured.
Reading the report, it seems likely that approval will be given to allocate further funds although concern will, no doubt, be voiced over the extent of the additional funding required. However, this is a key project within the whole masterplan and has major economic benefits for the town and related initiatives along the associated station to stadium corridor.
While assuming the additional funding will be approved, I feel there needs to be greater clarity on the impact this would have on other initiatives. The report simply states that ‘there will be the reprofiling of £9.8million from future phases of the Our Cultural Heart budget.’ It is a question we will put to David Shepherd, Strategic Director for Growth and Regeneration, at a meeting attended by several from the HCS Committee scheduled for the December 3.
I hope to report further, but no doubt the local media will first provide an account of next Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting.
Other Planning Matters
HCS Secretary Geoff Hughes and I will be discussing some of the issues and concerns regarding the town centre raised in recent months on a walk round the centre with two council officers, Joanne Tansley, Design and Conservation Project Manager and David Wildman, Head of Town Centre Regeneration. These include progress on shopfront improvements on John William Street, vacant buildings and sites, opportunities for town centre residential development, maintenance budgets (particularly areas such as St Peter’s Gardens mentioned in my last bulletin).
Both officers are relative newcomers to the town and I hope that by looking at some specific issues they will gain a better insight into some of the key challenges we feel should be tackled.
Planning Applications
Don’t forget that as well as commenting on some of the issues outlined above, we prepare comments relating to current planning applications which are submitted to Kirklees Council by committee colleague Robert Taylor. For example, this week comments have been forwarded regarding the re-use of St Patrick’s Catholic Centre and premises on the corner of Lord Street which have been long vacant but are proposed to be turned into 9 decent sized flats. These are posted on the HCS website: https://huddersfieldcivicsociety.org.uk/planning
Enforcement Matters
Disappointingly, following the submission to Helen Bower, Conservation and Enforcement Team Leader, of a list of Grade 2 and Grade 2* buildings that are of concern, as reported last month, we have received no response. The list includes the former infirmary and we have yet to discover how far the promised legal action against the owners of the site has progressed.
As you will no doubt know, the ring road frontage of the site is being developed as a Lidl supermarket but I can now also confirm that according to strategic property and construction advisors, Fox, Lloyd and Jones of Leeds, what is known as Plot 1 has been sold. Information on the FLJ website states: ‘c.1.79-acre site with full planning permission for restoration and conversion of listed building and its wings to create 32 residential apartments and 10,785 ft of offices. The office space would be suitable for a range of uses but also potential exists to revise the planning to achieve an additional 15 apartments (subject to planning) (47 total).
Assuming this is the case, one would expect early dialogue between Kirklees and the new owners to emphasise the need for protecting the structure and ascertain future timescales for conversion of the buildings.
Forthcoming Events:
Wednesday, November 6 at 7.15pm.
Making History – Kirklees Heritage and Cultural Strategies.
Venue: Fresh Futures, Brian Jackson House, 2 New North Parade, Huddersfield.
All are welcome and there is no charge for attendance.
Kirklees Museums and Galleries Manager Deborah Marsland will talk about the new Heritage Strategy (https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/culture-strategy/pdf/heritage-strategy.pdf) which has recently been created by Kirklees Council with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, while Carl Hutton, Culture and Tourism Strategic Officer, will talk about developing the Kirklees Cultural Strategy and how it links to the Heritage Strategy.
The Heritage Strategy aims to raise the profile of Kirklees’ rich and diverse heritage, from the area’s role in the Industrial Revolution to protest movements such as The Luddites and Women’s Suffrage and the formation of Rugby League. A Strategic Heritage Action Plan is now being developed to deliver plans, including a new Online Heritage Hub.
The Culture, Heritage and Tourism strategies are intended to “illustrate how we value the histories which have influenced who we are today and then act as a roadmap for how we promote our stories to our citizens and those further afield, attracting visitors to enjoy our landscapes, towns, villages, businesses and attractions.”
Discover Huddersfield
The Discover Huddersfield 2025 programme of walks is now in the planning stage but an updated Huddersfield on Foot website (https://huddersfield.onfoot.guide/) has recently been launched which allows you to follow the trails from the warmth of home or by self-guided tours in and around the town.
There are 18 trails to explore providing a broad introduction to the history, culture, architecture and communities that make Huddersfield such a rich and diverse town.
National Health Innovation Campus Event, Daphne Steele Building, University of Huddersfield
For those who may want to discover more about the developing Health Innovation Campus and an insight into current activities, future plans and vision, a presentation lecture has been organised for Thursday, November 21 from 5.30pm to 7.30pm at the Daphne Steele Building. Further details by going to:https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/research-in-conversation-introducing-the-national-health-innovation-campus-tickets-1064355659429
Missing Sculpted Heads
You may recall that in my August update I updated members on the whereabouts of the sculpted figures removed from the former HSBC Bank following a positive response from the chief executive of HSBC UK Bank plc, Ian Stuart.
I have now been in contact with Sharon Bell, Network Manager at HSBC Huddersfield. The bank does not feel their new premises in Kingsgate would be an appropriate place to display the heads but, fortunately, a kind offer from HCS Vice Chair, John Eastwood means that they can be stored for a temporary period at John’s premises, Westin Drives, on St Andrew’s Road until a suitable site for their re-hanging can be identified. I have asked Sharon to let me know once a new tenant for the Cloth Hall Street premises is secured at which point I will approach them to see if the heads can be displayed in the building.
HCS Chairman David Wyles