Revised Proposals (Mixed Use Development), Former Kirklees College,
Planning application 2018/92647
Revised Proposals (Mixed Use Development), Former Kirklees College, New North Road, Huddersfield
Approved by Kirklees Council on August 3, 2022
Huddersfield Civic Society welcomes the retention and conversion of those buildings marked Buildings 1,2 and 3 on the submitted plans. It also echoes those concerns, articulated in the Society’s original comments, concerning the proposed residential block (Building 5) but notes the applicant states, ‘this drawing shows an indicative design only. Detailed planning permission is not sought for this building’.
Should a detailed application on this part of the site be submitted it is essential that attention is paid to the relationship with buildings within the adjacent Conservation Area and particularly those along Portland Street. It may be appropriate for a planning condition to this effect to be incorporated into any approval granted on this initial phase of the site development.
However, the Society wishes to state its strong objection to the elevational details of the proposed supermarket and related car parking. This occupies one of the most prominent sites within Huddersfield, adjacent to Castlegate (ring road) and Trinity Street, the latter providing the main access to and from the M62 motorway.
Over the past few years there have been a number of high quality developments fronting the ring road, including those on the university campus and Huddersfield Sports Centre which have complemented buildings of architectural and historic value such as St Paul’s Church and Queensgate Market.
Those buildings on the former Kirklees College site, which were constructed in the 1960/70 period, have, generally, been considered to be of poor architectural quality, particularly in relation to the former Infirmary, adjacent Conservation Area and the prominence of the site. The proposed supermarket would appear to achieve even lower standards of design, particularly in relation to these features.
It would, therefore, be a retrograde step for approval to be given to this element of the proposal, and contrary to objectives of the Council in promoting good design, on a site which leads to the Station Gateway, where a fundamental ambition within the Council’s Blueprint is to enhance the heritage and commercial attractions of the town. Furthermore, this element of the application should, at the very least, undergo some major design revisions coupled with a far greater focus on materials, elevational detail, built form and landscaping, incorporating greenspace with tree planting.
Finally, the Society views the introduction of the proposed supermarket, into an existing application, to be wholly inappropriate given no such element was included in the original application. There is little clarity regarding the ‘revisions’ and major conflicts between the (still undecided) Aug 2018 application on the council website and statements in latter documents.
By accepting this change as a ‘revision’ to an existing application, the opportunity for members of the public to submit comments has been significantly curtailed from the time frame allowed in the event of a new application. As such, we strongly recommend this application be rejected and the applicant asked to resubmit a new application to ensure residents of Huddersfield are allowed the opportunity to express their views.
As it stands any approval would be a retrograde step for the town and severely question the Council’s commitment to its own BluePrint and its ability to positively promote high standards of architecture and design.