CONSERVATIONISTS say Huddersfield’s Queensgate Market is a structure of national importance and should be saved.

One watchdog group, the Twentieth Century Society, has spoken out against the planned £200m Queensgate Revival redevelopment plan for the town centre, which it condemns as of poor quality.

And as the row rumbles on calls have been made for the councillor behind the scheme to resign.

The site takes in the market hall, the multi-storey car park, the former Co-operative store and buildings on New Street.

The Kirklees Council plan includes a new library, art gallery and information centre, a three-storey department store, 100-bed hotel, 100 homes, a new market hall, bars, restaurants and up to 900 parking spaces.

But the Twentieth Century Society, which protects important buildings constructed after 1914, is against the plan, saying the market hall is unique.

Caseworker Jon Wright has written to Kirklees. He is particularly worried about plans for the market hall, including the loss of eight of the building’s 21 mushroom-shaped roof structures, hyperbolic paraboloid shells.

He is also concerned at the council’s plans for the ceramic reliefs facing Queensgate.

He added: “We are convinced a scheme could be worked out that regenerated Queensgate without the loss of a significant part of the market hall.’’

Meanwhile, a senior opposition councillor has called for the man in charge of Queensgate Revival to resign.

Ken Smith, a Labour councillor for the Ashbrow ward, wants Conservative Clr Ken Sims to step down.

Clr Smith said: “His plans for redevelopment of Queensgate and the Piazza area were severely condemned by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment for not maximising the benefits for the town and being out of keeping with surrounding buildings.’’

He added: “Clr Sims is the same man who has brought us the fiasco of the pink Chinese paving in St George’s Square.

“He has a proven track record of failure and is totally out of touch with the views of Huddersfield people.’’

Clr Sims, who represents Holme Valley South, said: “When Labour was in charge did they have someone from Huddersfield who dealt with regeneration in Huddersfield? No.

“There’s a lot of good in our plans for Queensgate and St George’s Square.’’

Clr Sims added that this paper’s coverage of the St George’s Square row had been unfair.

He said: “The Examiner has taken a stance on St George’s Square. They are not looking at both sides and explaining both sides.”