Hilton Hotel signs on for Huddersfield ski slope development

The franchise agreement means a 148 room, 4-star, Hilton Garden Inn will be built at the John Smith’s Stadium on Leeds Road in Huddersfield as part of the £100m HD One project, which will include a ski slope.

It is the second Garden Inn brand in Yorkshire. The brand also has a hotel at Doncaster Racecourse, which opened last year, as well as Old Trafford, Silverstone and London Heathrow.

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The hotel is being developed and operated as part of a joint venture between Kirklees Stadium Development Limited (KSDL) and Hotel Land Development.

The proposed location of the hotel is on the field next to the Town Avenue car park across the river from the main entrance to the John Smith’s Stadium. The hotel will therefore not need a multi-storey car park, as originally proposed - parking will be at ground level on Town Avenue Car Park.

The intention, according to officials, is to start building work on the hotel around the turn of the year and work is expected to be completed within 18 months.

The hotel was named in a reserved matters planning application submitted to Kirklees Council this week. More news on the HD One project is expected to follow in the coming months.

KSDL managing director, Gareth Davies, said: “We’re delighted to have signed this agreement. It’s a well-known and respected brand and one we have been chasing for the past 12 months, so we’re pleased to have got what we wanted.

“We have always believed that the building of a new, business-grade hotel would be to the advantage of the whole community, including the university and business, as well as the site itself.

“This is the first element of the development of the site and more news will follow. Suffice to say at this stage that things are progressing.”

Coun Peter McBride, deputy leader of Kirklees Council and cabinet member for regeneration, added: “The council has been keen for some time to see a modern business class hotel developed close to Huddersfield town centre.

“This will complement the ambitious Huddersfield Blueprint plans we announced last week and it shows that international and national investors share our confidence in a rejuvenated Huddersfield.”

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