Thandi Partnership's new plans for Castle Hill are near replica of original

Dec 14 2009 by Sam Casey, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Spot the difference: New Castle Hill Hotel identical to old one

NEW plans for a pub, restaurant and hotel on Huddersfield’s most prominent landmark are a reincarnation of the historic Castle Hill Hotel.

The Thandi Partnership wants permission to build an almost identical replica of the 200-year-old hotel that was demolished four years ago.

Brothers Mick and Barry Thandi have now submitted their first formal planning application to Kirklees Council for seven years.

They had hoped to get the go-ahead for a modern, boutique-style hotel, partly built into the hillside itself, last year, but were told it was not a viable proposition.

Now they hope designs inspired by the old building will be more acceptable.

Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman has already said he would oppose the plans.

Mick Thandi said: “We always wanted to do something for the community, somewhere you could take your family for a nice night out.

“We grew up at the bottom of the hill and it has always been our desire to do something for everyone in Huddersfield.

“We still want to do that.”

The new hotel, which would cost between £750,000 and £1m to build, would have seven bedrooms, a bar, restaurant and public toilets.

There would also be a room for educational use, including information about the history of the hill.

It would have a ground floor area of 650 sq metres – exactly the same as the original hotel.

Mark Lee, of Armitage Bridge architecture firm One17 Design, has drawn up the designs.

He said: “We have had pretty negative feedback in the last six months from the council, so we felt the best way forward was to submit a scheme that was essentially a new version of the original pub.

“We’ve reworked the drawings to that end, so if you like it’s a new, old building.

“We have taken the best elements from the original building and turned it into something that fits in quite nicely.”