Kirklees Council refuses permission for new hotel at Castle Hill in Almondbury

Mar 19 2010 by Barry Gibson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Mick Thandi at the Castle Hill planning meeting

PLANNERS have refused permission for a new hotel at Castle Hill.

Kirklees Council yesterday knocked back a proposal to rebuild the pub and guesthouse which had stood at the Almondbury landmark for nearly 200 years.

The Castle Hill Hotel was torn down five years ago following a dispute between the venue’s owners the Thandi Partnership and Kirklees.

The Thandis (with Mick Thandi pictured at yesterday's meeting) submitted this new plan to build an almost identical hotel, including a bar, restaurant, seven en-suite bedrooms and 28 parking spaces.

However, the council’s Huddersfield Planning Sub-committee yesterday decided that a new hotel – even if it was on the same site as the original – was not acceptable on Green Belt land.

More than 100 members of the public attended yesterday’s meeting at Huddersfield Town Hall for the 90-minute discussion of the planning application.

Four people spoke against the hotel, including Clr Andrew Cooper. The Newsome Green said: “Trying to put up an imitation won’t work. You can’t put the genie back in the bottle.”

Chris Marsden, of Huddersfield Civic Society, told the sub-committee: “The Castle Hill pub was my local when I lived in Almondbury. I even had my stag do there.”

But he added that building a new hotel was not allowed under planning law. Mr Marsden said: “The Green Belt is protected land and the applicant has not shown there are very special circumstances to allow development.”

Nine people spoke in favour of the hotel, including Clr Ken Sims.

The Holme Valley South Conservative said: “No-one complained when that building was there.

“Who are we saving the Green Belt for if it’s not the people of Huddersfield? A hotel would be an asset to the town, bringing in money and tourism.”

Inderpal Singh-Randhawa was among several speakers who recalled happy memories of the old hotel. He said: “When refreshment was available there, we were able to spend time at Castle Hill with friends and family.

“I don’t understand why this hotel should not be allowed, when there was a building there before.”

Brian Holroyd caused controversy by accusing Kirklees of being racially prejudiced against the applicants.

He said: “To me this is racialist, very racialist. It’s just not right.

“How can a brownfield site turn green overnight?”

Three sub-committee members spoke in favour of the hotel.

Greenhead Labour man Clr Mohan Sokhal pointed out that the hotel had been there before the tower, and that anti-social behaviour had increased at the site since the hotel was demolished.

Clr John Cook recalled visiting the old hotel with his family. The Denby Dale Conservative said it would be “a great shame” if something similar wasn’t built on the site.

Labour’s Clr Steve Hall, of Heckmondwike, said: “I used to take my daughter there for many years. When I went up there this morning, it did not feel the same without the hotel.”

However, six councillors spoke against the hotel plan.

Kirkburton Conservative Clr Christine Smith said: “I would like to see something like the Mining Museum there which would allow children to visit. It should be something for everybody.”