Plans to turn a former children’s centre into a wedding venue and restaurant have been approved by Kirklees councillors.
Fieldhead, a Grade II listed property at Lidget Street, Lindley, comprises a former house and coach house, an extension and a long outbuilding connected to the main building by a first floor bridge link.
Councillors originally gave listed building consent to convert the existing building and extension – and demolition part of the structure – in 2014.
Now a modified plan has been approved by the council’s Strategic Planning Committee – with more than 20 conditions attached.
The new plan is to convert and extend the buildings to form a wedding venue with bedrooms, a bar/restaurant, landscaping and a car park with 57 spaces.
The wedding venue would accommodate up to 120 guests, while the bar and restaurant would be open to the public.
The extension to the west of the main house would be for community use and would feature a cellar bar and a rooftop terrace while the outbuilding would include a gym.
Bankgate, the company behind the scheme, said the facility would employ 15 full-time and 15 part-time staff.
A report to Kirklees Council’s Strategic Planning Committee said there was concern about the visual impact of the rooftop terrace on neighbouring properties – and said conditions would be attached governing hours of use.
It said the terrace would not in itself detract from the character of the building, but furniture, such as chairs and tables, could be placed on the terrace “as well as other paraphernalia such as parasols and outdoor heaters.” It said: “The resulting visual clutter could cause harm to the character of the building.”
Among other conditions attached, councillors called for a new landscaping scheme in keeping with the property’s appearance to be submitted and approved, details of CCTV and outdoor lighting to be submitted and approved and cycle parking to be provided.
Recommending approval, the report said: “The site was unoccupied for a significant period of time before the present works began and had undergone significant deterioration. The previous use as a children’s home is no longer considered to be viable given the buildings' current state.”
It added: “The proposal would bring a Grade II listed building in a poor state of repair back into use.”
Fieldhead dates back to 1820 and was once owned by the Sykes family who owned local textile mills. The building was badly damaged by fire in November, 2015.
