The clock is ticking on Castle Hill in Huddersfield as restaurant plans have stalled

The clock is ticking on the controversial Castle Hill development.

The developer – The Thandi Partnership – has just 10 months to get the necessary consent and start building work before planning permission expires.

In October 2020, plans for a dormitory-style restaurant, visitor interpretation facilities and a car park to be built on the ancient site were narrowly approved by the council. Planning permission for the scheme was granted almost 18 months later, with a list of 30 conditions.

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Locals condemned the plans, with Almondbury ward councilor at the time, Cllr Bernard McGuin, commenting: “The council has sold the soul of Huddersfield for not much in return.”

Scheduled Monument Consent – from Historic England due to the site’s condition and archaeological significance – must be obtained before any work can begin. However, yesterday (June 17) Historic England confirmed it had yet to receive an application from the developer for this permission.

The Thandi Partnership will need to act quickly if the project is to go ahead, as planning permission will expire in February next year if there have been no spades in the ground.

The planning saga surrounding Castle Hill has continued for decades, with a stream of applications refused or abandoned.

The Thandi Partnership originally purchased the Castle Hill Hotel in the 1990s and had plans to refurbish it. Planning permission was granted in 2002, although this development never materialized as a breach of planning conditions ultimately led to the new structure being demolished.

Since then, several proposals have been submitted by developers until the last one was approved in 2020.

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