Battle lines drawn over pub plan

Andrew Robinson

HERITAGE experts and council planning officers are urging councillors to reject plans for a pub and hotel on the site of an Iron Age hill fort.

Opponents of the plans for Castle Hill at Almondbury, Huddersfield, include West Yorkshire Archaeology Service, Huddersfield Civic Society, English Heritage and the Campaign to Protect Rural England.

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Critics of the plans say that a pub would destroy the atmosphere on top of the hill and would not be in keeping with its status as a Green Belt and Scheduled Ancient Monument site. Although there used to be a pub on the hill, heritage experts say the site is better off without it.

Kirklees Council’s own planning experts agree and are recommending councillors to refuse the plans at a meeting on Thursday.

Green Belt planning guidance states that development can only be allowed in “very special circumstances” and, in this case, Kirklees planners say those have not been met.

A report says that the pub-hotel-restaurant proposed by local developers The Thandi Partnership will affect the setting of the Jubilee Tower (also known as Victoria Tower), a Grade II listed building on the hill.

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“The site is currently vacant, and as such the proposal will unarguably affect the setting of the listed tower,” says the planning officer’s report.

“While the siting and design of the new building could be seen as a replica of the original hotel, this does not lessen the impact of the development on the tower itself. The removal of the original hotel has allowed the tower to be seen in its own context standing proud on the hillside without any building to compete in the landscape.

“It is considered that this openness now adds to the landscape and building value which would be somewhat reduced by the proposed development.”

The report also says that the narrow road which leads up to Castle Hill is not satisfactory for increased traffic and the level of parking proposed would not cope with demand. Sixteen letters of objection were received by the council, including one which said the design of the pub is “pseudo Victorian” and inappropriate.

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Three letters backed the plans. One writer said a pub had been on the site for over a century and ought to be re-built.

Strong opposition came from heritage experts. West Yorkshire Archaeology Service said the proposal could disturb important archaeological remains from the prehistoric to medieval era. “It is felt that the original hotel was always an alien intrusion on the site of the Iron Age fort and medieval castle.

“The proposed replacement would cause substantial harm to the setting of the scheduled monument.”

Similar comments were made by members of Huddersfield and District Archaeological Society.

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The society said: “Castle Hill is one of the most important sites in West Yorkshire. It is vital that our cultural heritage is not threatened by inappropriate modern development which cause demonstrable harm to interests of national and local importance.”

The Campaign to Protect Rural England said: “The proposal to re-introduce a pub would destroy the atmosphere that now exists at the top of the hill.”

Honley Civic Society said it did not normally comment on plans outside its area but felt the proposed hotel building would result in a deterioration of the view from afar, extra traffic and litter.

“The fact there was a building there once is not a reason to permit a replica now.”