MY missus and I had a walk round Deanhead Reservoir over Christmas – what a lovely view down over Scammonden and beyond, marred only by the monstrous new windmill at Hey Lane and tips of the ones at Scapegoat Hill.

Likewise are the approaches to Scammonden from Outlane and Pole Moor ruined – and don’t even mention High Flatts down to Ingbirchworth.

All painted arctic white as usual, just to ensure they contrast with the green and brown landscape even more.

So that looking the other way from Deanhead won’t help in future, Kirklees has given permission for another windmill on the opposite side of Scammonden Reservoir at Mount Pleasant Farm.

Thus the British countryside is suffering death by a thousand cuts, simply to fill the pockets of greedy developers and boost the egos and power of politicians.

Clr Andrew Cooper claims in the Examiner: “There’s a lot of misinformation put out there about wind turbines.”

True enough – but in my view most of it by urban-dwelling Greens.

Richard Huddleston

West Slaithwaite

What if pub fails?

THERE have been many points made on the proposed planning application to build a pub on Castle Hill while pubs throughout Kirklees face closure or change of uses and are even replaced by houses.

Those voicing in favour of such a build from across Kirklees, it would seem, fail to support their local pubs within their communities so why would this venture be so different?

Puzzled of Almondbury rightly raises the question of change of use possibilities while Manjit Singh claims 85% of the town supports a pub/hotel on the hill, but where is his proof of such a claim?

Planning approval would be a great victory for the Thandi Brothers whether the build was a success or not, but what happens next should that venture fail is a more serious questions.

The saga should have been ended when the brothers did not comply with planning conditions.

Kirklees should take control of the whole site or pass it over to a charitable organisation for its long-term future.

What safeguard is possible to Kirklees planners which would limit and rule out unacceptable change of use for such buildings on this heritage site?

Many months of letters by correspondents within the Examiner have voiced their views with claims of support or opposition to the planning proposals, but skirted round the real long-term planning problem this site could face in the future.

Long-term view

Mirfield

Village refreshments

EXACTLY why Huddersfield might need a lively pub or nightclub on the ancient site named Castle Hill is a puzzle to me.

Would those who promote another ale house advocate wine bars alongside Durham Cathedral or McDonald’s in the shadows of Stonehenge?

Pubs and coffee bars in Almondbury can welcome visitors, either before or after their trip to Castle Hill.

This pleasant village is where traders should develop and advertise their services for visitors.

TC

Huddersfield

Pledging my support

JUST a note to advise Chris Marsden, chairman of Huddersfield Civic Society (Examiner editorial, January 2) that I have already expressed my support to the Kirklees planning department for the Thandi partnership application for a hostelry at Castle Hill.

I believe this enterprise can work with English Heritage in order to provide a ‘public amenity’ for many people living in Kirklees and, indeed, beyond and supporters of any archaeological work on the hill which seems to have multiplied since the second planning application.

Chris cites a number of national planning policy framework paragraphs which he says would be breached if such an application is passed but the fact is these chaps have greatly changed their plans, reducing the size of the building and incorporating community facilities, even though Chris thinks this is not adequate.

The current print of the access road should remain.

How many accidents have been recorded over its many years of use?

I suspect the Civic Society was not in existence when the old Market Hall was demolished although they did list the new one!

It is hoped many Examiner readers in support of the plans who read the piece by Chris Marsden followed his advice to contact Kirklees Planning.

I have a painting of the hill in the moonlight with both the pub and Victoria Tower in position and must say that any current picture would lose ‘the visual impact’ and look slightly imbalanced .

Chris Thomas

Netherton

Leave hill alone

I STRONGLY object to the proposed plan to build a pub on the Castle Hill site.

Leave our historical site to the community and as an environmental heritage site.

R Reynolds

Magdale

A grateful reader

HAPPY New Year to all who work for the Daily Examiner – this includes also the people who deliver to our door – a cracking paper, giving us local news and views. We all wait each day to comb the columns for the sports, news and the hatched, matched and dispatched column (births, marriages and deaths).

The paper keeps us all up to date with any changes by the council and makes us aware of any police messages. The features columns are interesting although we are not always in agreement with what is printed we realised there are two sides to every story.

Well done. Just one thing for 2013 – could you print better weather as we could end up with webbed feet.

Quack, Quack

Lindley

Sorting the scammers

REGARDING the article on Page 12 of the Examiner on January 2 ‘Scam Callers Offering Computer Aid’ there is nothing new in this.

To my certain knowledge and experience it has been going on for at least the last three years.

In my experience the voice will, invariably, be in a South Asian accent and can be either male or female.

When asked either ‘how do you know that I have a computer?’, or ‘where did you get my telephone number?’ the phone goes dead.

A L Jones

Meltham