A LANDMARK hotel in Huddersfield is to be virtually demolished - and rebuilt.

Workmen have been taking the historic Castle Hill Hotel apart over the past weeks.

But structural engineers have found the central tower is unsafe and will have to be replaced.

Workmen will dismantle the tower in the next few days.

Officers from Kirklees building control are keeping close watch.

Head of planning services Keith Faragher said: "There's a lot of demolition allowed.

"The tower will be rebuilt as it was before as a feature of the new development."

While conceding there was not much of the Victorian building left, Mr Faragher commented: "Six months from now we'll have a very interesting building."

The initial build quality and ravages of time have been blamed.

Work on the hotel ended delays that had seen it shut for over a year. The appearance of workmen had sparked fears the historic pub was being ripped down.

Residents campaigned against alterations to the hotel, owned by the Thandi Partnership.

A spokesman for the Partnership said there was no truth in rumours the hotel had been sold to a brewery.

Extensions will include a restaurant on the first floor and a conservatory at the back of the building.

Council officer Mr Faragher added: "It is not a listed building and the proposals that were approved by the council will have extensive and substantial demolition and rebuilding and I think what we should be concerned with is the quality of the finished product."

A hotel has stood on the hill since 1812. The nearby Jubilee Tower was built in 1898 to commemorate Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee the year before.

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