THE team behind the Castle Hill pub and hotel plan were told to clarify their plans before they dropped them.
It has been revealed that Kirklees Council planners asked the Thandi Partnership to provide more detail about how the proposal was a suitable development in the greenbelt.
The news came days after it was announced that the plan for a new pub on the landmark site had been dropped.
A council spokeswoman said that “the agents were asked to supply special circumstances for building in the greenbelt.”
The application was due to have been considered at the Huddersfield planning sub-committee next month.
But after a meeting between the developers and Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman, the current plan has been withdrawn.
The plan had attracted a great deal of opposition from people who wanted Castle Hill to remain untouched by development.
But there were others who backed the idea of facilities on the hill for visitors.
Chris Marsden, chairman of Huddersfield Civic Society, said: “I understand that the planning service had asked the applicant to justify various aspects of the application and how it was going to deal with the “wholly exceptional” planning policy requirement.
“I was told there was some deficiency, that it wasn’t in the documentation.
“To build in the greenbelt there needs to be exceptional circumstances – they were asked to demonstrate what they were.”
The Huddersfield Civic Society objected to the proposals, saying it breached planning policies, among other objections.
Mr Marsden added: “The problem is there are public houses closing everywhere.
“I can’t see the circumstances where this type of development will be permissible or encouraged in the greenbelt.
“If they wish to come back with another proposal for the site, I can’t seen what type of leisure facility can be classed as exceptional circumstances.
“We as a Civic Society will have to look at any new proposal on its merits”.
