​My last update before the Christmas break as we see the year out with increasing financial difficulties faced by Kirklees Council but, equally, some positive news and a hint at some of our planned events for early in 2024.

Open Market and Penistone Line to receive funding from Government Levelling Up programme

It was recently announced that Kirklees has been awarded £16.6m from the government’s Levelling Up fund to restore and convert Huddersfield Open Market into a food hall and provision for around 60 market stalls on the open area adjacent to Tesco.

The Penistone railway line will also receive funding of £48m to improve connections between Huddersfield, Barnsley and Sheffield. Both investments complement proposals embodied in the Station to Stadium Enterprise Corridor (see below) as well as encouraging greater use of rail transport into Huddersfield.

Station to Stadium Enterprise Corridor

Having mentioned public consultation was to take place on this initiative in my last update with a deadline of December 8 for submitting comments, we discovered that the critical Appendix 1 with the full masterplan could not be found on any Kirklees sites.

Having alerted Kirklees officers to this  we have now received an apology saying, ‘The links to Appendix 1 are now on the webpage Have your say on the Station to Stadium Enterprise Corridor | Kirklees Council.  Part A contains the first 48 pages of the Masterplan Framework document and Part B the other 26.‘

The HCS Executive Committee will be submitting comments in the next few days but hope you will have time to review the contents of this initiative and submit your own responses.
 
Nominations invited for Huddersfield Civic Society Design Awards 2023
As mentioned in my last update, the Design Awards are now open for nominations. Details can be found on the HCS website Design Awards page and our web manager, Andy Hirst, provided an excellent summary for the Huddersfield Hub.

https://huddersfieldhub.co.uk/the-hunt-is-on-for-huddersfields-best-recently-designed-buildings-and-you-can-vote-for-the-huddersfield-hub-award/

Members have until December 31, 2023, to submit their choices and hope you will be able to keep an eye out for any developments (including community initiatives) that meet the criteria.

Planning Issues

In my last update I mentioned that HCS representatives were hoping to arrange an update meeting with Helen Bower, Kirklees Team Leader-Conservation, Design, Ecology & Trees. This has now been set for January 17, 2024. Our concerns regarding the increasing number of vacant and vandalised listed buildings and enforcement by the local authority will be at the top of the agenda as well as an update from Helen on progress on safeguarding key buildings such as the former Huddersfield Infirmary.

In addition, we have arranged a meeting with David Shepherd, Strategic Director Growth and Regeneration, to raise a number of issues and concerns as articulated in a letter sent to him recently saying: "Following the Cabinet meeting on 27 June when the Cultural Heart was discussed and it was decided to amalgamate the art gallery and museum within the former library, there has been little information or public consultation regarding the current situation. Not only has concern been voiced by our own members but we are aware of similar concerns raised by other organisations, including Huddersfield Local History Society and Huddersfield and District Archaeological Society.

"Similarly, we find ourselves either having to request an opportunity for consultation eg the Station to Stadium Enterprise Corridor, or have received little feedback on why issues have not been explored. The problem of consultation without adequate engagement was highlighted at the High Street Task Force workshop I attended last Friday where an emphasis was placed on collaborative working.

"We have for the last 5 years made diligent efforts to support the council in its efforts, recognising that (as will on occasions be the case) we do not always see eye to eye. However, we do find it disheartening the number of times our suggestions have been overlooked or sidelined, as was the case regarding shopfront improvement, with little effectively being achieved over many years."

I will report on both meetings in future communications.

Railway Warehouse

HCS colleague Howard Smith and I were delighted to meet Susan Meadwell on site manager for HD1 Developments, owners of the station warehouse (St George’s Quarter) and consequently arranged a visit to the warehouse to discuss proposals, issues and support, along with Martin Kilburn and Gideon Richards.

The warehouse is, by far, the largest building in Huddersfield with approximately 30,000sq ft per floor over five floors and immense potential, not only in bringing the Grade 2 listed building back to life but in creating a considerable impact on the economic and investment opportunities of the town and particularly the St George’s Square area.

As such we were disappointed that the Station to Stadium Enterprise Corridor (see above) makes virtually no reference to this building, an issue which we will take up in our response to the public consultation.

It will be, along with its adjacent land which has been requisitioned by Network Rail for the Transpennine upgrade, included in the Station Gateway business plan, for which consultants are currently being sought. However, it is very clear that the future of the building should not solely be predicated on it being an element in the future of the station and transport improvements but integrated into a much wider recognition of infrastructure and economic investment.

On a specific issue, the owners of the warehouse have, to date, spent around £9m on replacing windows, roofing and other repairs but the building is suffering from serious vandalism, particularly from windows being smashed by people using the footpath that leads from New North Parade to Fitzwilliam Street. On our visit Susan had had to move her office because of large stones thrown through the windows the night before.

I hope Susan will be able to give a presentation to HCS about the plans for the building in the New Year and welcome her and owner, Mohammed Puri, as Corporate Members of the society.

Events and Activities 2024

We are in the planning stage of a new programme of events for the New Year. Here are some of the intentions for the first four months.

 * Presentation on proposed refurbishment of the Railway Warehouse (St. George’s Quarter).
* Presentation by on the Transpennine Rail Upgrade.
* An informal Members/Meet the Committee event.
* The annual HCS/University lecture
* HCS AGM and Design Award presentations.
* Buildings at Risk – a presentation by Historic England and Kirklees Conservation.
 
In addition, planning is underway to produce next year’s Discover Huddersfield Walks’ Programme, details of which are expected to be published by late February.

Membership Renewals
​
Over the next week or so members will receive their annual letter regarding renewal of membership (except those who joined in the past 10 weeks).
 
As I have tried to demonstrate over the year in my updates, every effort has been made by the society to promote the architecture, heritage and future of the town and I hope we will be able to benefit from your valuable support which helps with all the activities we are engaged with over the year.
 
On that note, I wish you a very happy Christmas and winter break and very much hope to see you in 2024.

Nominations invited for Huddersfield Civic Society Design Awards 2023.

Huddersfield Civic Society is pleased to announce the re-instatement of its annual Design Awards.

Last held in 2020, the Covid pandemic and resulting slowdown of local development projects resulted in the awards being put on hold. Now we feel it’s time to revive these prestigious awards but we can only succeed if we have the help of HCS members and the general public identifying projects that meet the criteria of good design as outlined below.   

Established in 2012, these prestigious awards have been presented to the very best developments within Huddersfield that have been completed over the years.

Between now and the end of December we hope you will be on the lookout for exemplar projects within the following categories:  Best New Build, Best Shop Front, Best Refurbishment, Best Residential Development, Best Commercial Development and Best Community Project. 

There is no restriction on the number of nominations you submit and can be sent to the society by completing a simple form on our website or emailing us the relevant details (see below). In addition, HCS will be teaming up with the Huddersfield Hub news website so its readers have a chance to vote for the development which they feel has contributed most towards helping improve the quality and image of the town.

Nominated buildings should fall within the former Huddersfield borough boundary which is between Outlane and Fixby in the north, Berry Brow and Almondbury in the south, Milnsbridge in the west and Cooper Bridge and Waterloo in the east. Projects must have been completed between July 1, 2021 and December 31, 2023.

Members have until December 31, 2023 to submit their choices. From nominations submitted, judges will choose the winners from each category. The winners will be presented with specially designed slate trophies with an additional trophy awarded to the outright winner at a presentation event in spring 2024.

Consideration will be given to the following in determining the winning categories:

Quality of design and materials
Appropriateness to street setting and adjacent property
Functionality
Accessibility
Contribution to environmental sustainability
Quality of landscaping
Contribution to community enhancement

Not only will the awards raise the profile of Huddersfield Civic Society but of the town itself, something that we, as society members, Huddersfield Hub and all its readers are keen to do.

We look forward to receiving your nominations. 

Simply download the form attached, fill it in on screen and email it back to hcsdesignawards@gmail.com

Planning Issues

Since my last update Robert Taylor has co-ordinated a response to several applications including concerns regarding illuminated signage at the Istanbul restaurant, John William Street and alterations to 94 New North Road, within the Highfields Conservation Area, noted in David Griffith’s book, Highfields – A Most Handsome Suburb (see the HCS website Publications page).

Having found no way of submitting our objections to illuminated signage on the Istanbul Restaurant on John William Street, Robert emailed the planning officer dealing with the application and received the following reply: “Applications for advertisement consent are not required to seek representations under current legislation. The proposal has been reviewed by the Conservation and Design Officer and we are seeking modifications to the scheme. Hopefully I shall receive an amended plan prior to the initial target date of November 23.”

While this is helpful, it is of concern that, given the importance of shopfronts and the poor perception created by inappropriate signage on listed buildings and in Conservation Areas, the society has no facility for objecting formally to such applications.

Also, with an increasing number of unresolved issues regarding listed buildings at risk and enforcement matters relating to various illegal works and required reparations on specific buildings and sites, HCS representatives are hoping to arrange an update meeting with Helen Bower, Kirklees Team Leader for Conservation, Design, Ecology & Trees. I hope this will provide some positive news regarding what sometimes appears to be a deliberate act by some to ignore their responsibilities in terms of maintenance and illegal work on listed buildings, Conservation Areas etc.

Transport News

In my last update I indicated we had not received any news about the allocated West Yorkshire Combined Authority funding for the Station Gateway project. Thankfully, an email from the key Kirklees contact on the issue indicates that things are, at last, moving forward. Comments on the draft brief for a masterplan have been received from the delivery partners, the brief for consultants finalised and options to procure a consultant team are currently being prepared.

Station to Stadium Enterprise Corridor

We have just been made aware that a public consultation has begun regarding the above initiative which is a further strand of the Huddersfield Blueprint. Starting at Huddersfield Railway Station the Enterprise Corridor incorporates land and buildings along Northumberland Street and Leeds Road to the John Smith’s Stadium, as well as incorporating areas off St Andrew's Road and Gas Works Street.

The consultation is on the masterplan framework that sets out the proposed land use plan over the short, medium and long term, supported by an approach for improved connectivity and urban greening. More details can be found here: Have your say on the Station to Stadium Enterprise Corridor | Kirklees Council. The consultation ends on December 8.
 
Huddersfield Unlimited Mini Conference: Why Huddersfield? Why Now?

This event organised by Huddersfield Unlimited, which is chaired by Sir John Harman, was attended by me and committee colleague Howard Smith.

The overall message of the afternoon was upbeat and summarised the range of strategic projects now taking place around the town and the money being invested.

However, despite the fact that we welcome and support progress being made on the Transpennine upgrade and at the university, George Hotel and Kingsgate, we felt that Clr Turner failed to address key issues of perception, promotion and fundamental changes being brought about through financial constraints and lack of consultation. From images/illustrations shown it appeared that Kirklees Council is carrying on regardless of increasing problems and changes are already being made without consultation with HCS and other local organisations.

A few other HCS members also attended and one said: “I feel yesterday’s Huddersfield Unlimited mini-conference did not put enough emphasis on making this a town that is pleasant to live in, to work in, to go out in and to visit. The challenge we face is more than buildings and jobs, although they are important to economic regeneration.”
 
Blue Plaque Marks Huddersfield Town’s Birthplace

I was very pleased to be invited to the unveiling ceremony on October 25 of a plaque commemorating the founding of Huddersfield Town Football Club at the Albert Hotel, Victoria Lane, in Huddersfield town centre attended by Sir Patrick Stewart. Organised by Town Supporters’ Association and HCS Member James Chisem and funded by the club, HCS helped co-ordinate the production of the plaque.  
 
HLHS History Day and Publication, ‘Meet Me at Harold Wilson – Stories from St George’s Square’

I was also delighted to have been invited to give a presentation called ‘St. George’s Square – The Power and the Glory’ at Huddersfield Local History Society’s History Day on Saturday, November 4.
The day focussed around a new HLHS publication called ‘Meet Me at Harold Wilson’, the culmination of the society’s Memories of Our Square’ project and available via the HLHS website and from local bookshops.
​

Huddersfield Civic Society’s Design Awards are back for the first time in three years.

Last held in 2020, the Covid pandemic and resulting slowdown of local development projects resulted in the awards being put on hold.

Now we need HCS Members and the public to nominate projects in these categories:  Best New Build, Best Shop Front, Best Refurbishment, Best Residential Development, Best Commercial Development and Best Community Project. 
​
Nominations need to be submitted by the end of the year and to do that please go to the Design Awards section on the HCS website.

Written by Huddersfield Civic Society chairman David Wyles

Huddersfield Cultural Heart

In my last update I mentioned a meeting held with several other local organisations who shared similar concerns regarding the proposal to amalgamate the town’s museum and art gallery under one roof, thereby significantly reducing exhibition space from that indicated in the approved Cultural Heart proposals and in relation to lack of investment/ maintenance as well as the future of Tolson Museum.

Since then I have received helpful comments from Huddersfield and District Archaeological Society (HDAS) which has articulated its concerns about the size of the museum (5,918 m2 for the museum and 3,043m2 for the art gallery) and the likely reduction in floor space for exhibits and exhibitions. 
 
Concern is also expressed about the conservation of collections and status, the cost of the scheme escalating in the current economic climate (£5.62m quoted in October 2022), finds and collections in general and future capacity, the ability of a watered down scheme being able to achieve the objective of revitalising the town centre and the future for the Tolson building which is covenanted to the people of the town for educational purposes and is a listed building.
 
HDAS has agreed to participate in any broader collective response and emphasise its concerns around the size of the proposed museum and exhibitions, as well as the care and status of collections. We will be liaising with the other societies in order to present our joint concerns and suggestions to Kirklees Council which I shall share with all our members.

George Hotel

It’s understood that despite some worries expressed by our members regarding the likelihood of this important scheme not progressing as a result of increasing financial constraints, we are pleased to confirm that Kirklees has a signed agreement with Radisson to operate the hotel, contractor Morgan Sindall (known to some for their work on major Huddersfield University projects) is now undertaking survey work within the building and it’s hoped that construction works will commence in 2024.

Planning Issues

As usual we try and respond to planning applications that appear relevant to the society and its objectives and I thank committee colleague Robert Taylor for identifying proposals which may be worthy of a formal response from the weekly list of submitted applications. For example, we have submitted our disappointment with regard to a proposed welfare block at Greenhead Park depot, suggesting the scheme should be a smaller, simpler and more sustainable building, complementary to the park and its historic/cultural importance to the town.

If you haven’t looked for some time you will find responses such as this on the HCS website Planning pages.

Transport News

Given the news about HS2 we can be thankful that work progresses on the Transpennine upgrade. Disappointingly though we still have received no news about the allocated WY Combined Authority funding for the Station Gateway.

In early June I reported that comments on the draft brief were awaited before consultants were appointed. This appears still not to have taken place.
​
Events

7pm Thursday, October 19: Huddersfield Modernism: From Art Deco to Brutalism
 
 New North Road Baptist Church, New North Parade, Huddersfield HD1 5JU 

If you haven’t already booked here’s a final notice about this joint event in association with Huddersfield Modernists.

Eddy Rhead from the Modernist Society and a panel will aim to reveal what Modernism is, looking at structures as diverse as Huddersfield library and art gallery, Farnley Hey and Emley Moor Mast and what happens when modernist buildings are no longer modern.

Admission: Free to members of Huddersfield Civic Society or the Modernist Society. Donation of £5 per person requested at the door from non-members.

Booking via Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/45kFsYI

Discover Huddersfield Walks Programme 2023

Only two walks remain for the 2023 season. On Sunday, October 22 at 2.30pm I’ll will be leading the walk around the university campus looking at the history of the site and the remarkable variety of buildings that exist, covering a period of almost 250 years.

At 2.30pm on Sunday, October 29 Dave Verguson will again lead the popular Walk Through Lindley’s History.
Bookings can be made up to 14 days before the walk through Eventbrite by going to: bit.ly/42gClji
 
Hopefully, my next update will report on work to update and improve the HCS website now that it holds more and more information, investigations and proposals on Biodiversity Net Gain conditional planning requirements applied to large housing developments and future events.

​Events

Thursday, September 7 at 7pm: Celebrating 21 years of Kingsgate – a new chapter unfolds.

New North Road Baptist Church, New North Parade Huddersfield HD1 5JU

Jonathan Hardy - the man at the helm of the Kingsgate Shopping Centre, will reveal the story of 21 years of Kingsgate Shopping Centre and work now underway on an ambitious development programme and expansion into the leisure sector.

Jonathan will reflect on how and why Huddersfield’s premier retail venue came into existence, the changing landscape of town centre retailing over the years and the challenges faced post Covid, Brexit and the cost-of-living crisis.

The story will take us through to the current development activity which will see the establishment of much-needed leisure facilities to encourage visitors into the town.

Jonathan’s presentation will be supported by a range of visuals from the past, present and future with the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the presentation which is expected to finish around 8.30pm.

Entry is free to HCS members with non-members asked for a donation of £5. Those attending and wishing to become a member of HCS will be given the opportunity to become a member for an additional £5 on the night.
Booking via Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/Kingsgate21years

If you want to hear about future HCS events as soon as they become bookable on Eventbrite, please tick the box “Keep me updated on more events and news from this event organiser” when you make your Eventbrite booking for our September 7 talk.
 
Discover Huddersfield Walks Programme 2023
 
Three walks are scheduled to take place during Kirklees Heritage Open Days (see below).   On Sunday, September 10 at 2.30pm join John Lambe for an exploration of places associated with Irish immigration to the area.

On Wednesday September 13 at 2.30pm Lorna Brooks will reveal ‘The Changing Face of Birkby’ and on Sunday, September 17 at 2.30pm the extraordinary engineering feats that enabled the construction of canal and railway from Marsden to Tunnel End will be explained in association with Huddersfield Canal Society.

Bookings can be made up to 14 days before the walk through Eventbrite by going to: bit.ly/42gClji
 
Kirklees Heritage Open Days, September 8 to 17, 2023
 
Explore Kirklees’ history at FREE Heritage Open Days events from September 8 to 17 (full brochure at the end of this update). Discover an all-time record programme of 96 FREE events and over 40 new venues. England’s largest history and culture festival offers architecture, hidden gems, walks, talks and much more.

Behind-the-scenes visits to buildings, guided walks, hands-on craft sessions, exhibitions, film shows, parks and nature are featured as well as performances linked to Kirklees Year of Music and venues celebrating Yorkshire Churches Day on September 16.

For event listings and visiting information (including advice about whether you need to book a free place) check out the link:  https://tinyurl.com/kirkleeshods2023 
 
Thursday, October 19 at 7pm: Huddersfield Modernism: From Art Deco to Brutalism

New North Road Baptist Church, New North Parade, Huddersfield, HD1 5JU

A joint event with Huddersfield Modernists.

In his 2021 book, Modern Buildings in Britain: A Gazetteer, Owen Hatherley observed that “modernism is now a century old and its consequences are all around us, built into our everyday lived environments.”

Indeed, from the bold colours and geometries of art deco and style moderne to the glass and concrete functionalism of Bauhaus and brutalism, modernist architecture and urban planning defined the 20th century.

But what is modernism? Why was it so popular? Where can you see it on the streets of Huddersfield and the surrounding valleys? Does it make sense to use the same term to describe structures as diverse as the library and art gallery, Farnley Hey and Emley Moor mast? And what happens when modernist buildings are no longer modern? Can, or should, a modern building or structure be preserved?

Join Huddersfield Civic Society and Huddersfield Modernists for a talk by Eddy Rhead from the Modernist Society and a panel session aimed at answering these very questions — and a few more from the audience.
Admission: Free to members of Huddersfield Civic Society or the Modernist Society. Donation of £5 per person requested at the door from non-members.

Booking via Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/45kFsYI

Huddersfield Cultural Heart

Last month I wrote about HCS concerns regarding the proposal to amalgamate museum and art gallery within the former library. The report stated that ‘because economic constraints’ need to be considered, one of the opportunities currently being explored ‘is the combining of the museum and gallery into one building to provide the most cost-effective solution in terms of capital spend and operational costs' and find another purpose for the art gallery building. This decision was particularly worrying given the Cultural Heart proposals only received planning permission in March 2023.

As a result of Kirklees Council’s report, several other local organisations shared similar concerns and last week a meeting was held between representatives from HCS, Huddersfield Local History Society, Huddersfield and District Archaeological Society, Friends of Tolson Museum and Kirkburton History Group. The group intends to question how the initial and proposed decisions were reached, what future actions are to be taken e.g. will there be further public consultation and a need to submit a revised planning application and what does this mean for the future of Tolson Museum and Art Gallery, given the considerable reduction in floorspace for displays and collections.

I will report what actions are to be taken by the group in a future update.

Transport News

A629 Halifax Road Improvement Proposals

Committee colleague Geoff Hughes has contacted Kirklees Council on behalf of Huddersfield Civic Society to object to the lack of publicity and short timescale for this new ‘consultation’ on a proposed major set of changes along the route of the A629 which showed an ‘end consultation’ date of August 4, 2023.

The Society made a substantive comment to the original (2021) consultation yet only found out by accident that major changes have been proposed with around 30 new documents entered since June 2023 against this application and around 100 now showing as ‘superseded’. 

While the society is pleased that one controversial part of the original scheme - at the A629/Blacker Road junction - appears to have been removed, it is noted that what should be the linked Active Travel scheme (A629 Phase 4) looks to be still paused with no decision yet reached on any of its various proposals. 
​
Whether or not HCS chooses to object to this revised A629 Phase 5 scheme, the Society has urgently asked for:
 
1) A substantial extension to the consultation end date
2) Proper announcement publicity to ensure notification of the revised proposals to all affected parties, including local residents and the 300 or so who commented on the previous version of the scheme.

​Transport News

In case you missed it, a very informative piece by Martin Shaw on Huddersfield Hub concerning forthcoming rail closures being carried out as part of the TransPennine route upgrade.
While this will be an inconvenience to some, we must be grateful for work now progressing at pace to improve the service between Huddersfield, Leeds and Manchester. For details go to https://huddersfieldhub.co.uk/huddersfield-railway-station-to-be-closed-at-weekends-in-september-and-october-as-part-of-transpennine-route-upgrade/
 
Events

Thursday, August 24, 6pm: Evening walk around Golcar followed by supper at Colne Valley Museum. Meet: Providence Methodist Church, Knowl Road, Golcar.
 
Just a few places remain for our summer evening guided walk around the historic village centre ending at Colne Valley Museum for a pea and pie supper with a hot drink at about 7.30pm and a look around for those who wish.  Please let us know if you have any special dietary requirements.

The walking tour will last approximately 1.5 hours and parking spaces are available at the Methodist church.  

The evening costs £8 including supper for HCS members. Non-members will be charged £10. Bookings no later than Tuesday, August 8 please by contacting Michael Barron. Email mj.barron@btinternet.com or telephone 01484 537080.

Discover Huddersfield Walks’ Programme 2023
 
Two walks are scheduled in the next few weeks. On Sunday, August 20 at 2.30pm join Ian Stevenson on the Greasepaint and Limelight trail to discover the location and history of some of the theatres, cinemas and music halls of the past. On Saturday, September 2 at 10.30am ‘Not Any Old Iron’ will reveal the architectural metalwork that can be found across Huddersfield town centre on many historic buildings.

Join Chris Marsden in finding the creative use of iron, steel and bronze for shelter, safety and security that have survived modernisation, demolition and wartime salvage.

Bookings can be made up to 14 days before the walk through Eventbrite by going to bit.ly/42gClji
 
Thursday, September 7 at 7pm: Celebrating 21 years of Kingsgate – a new chapter unfolds.

New North Road Baptist Church, New North Parade Huddersfield HD1 5JU

Jonathan Hardy, the man at the helm of the Kingsgate Shopping Centre, will reveal the story of 21 years of Kingsgate Shopping Centre and work now underway on an ambitious development programme and expansion into the leisure sector.

Jonathan will reflect on how and why Huddersfield’s premier retail venue came into existence, the changing landscape of town centre retailing over the years and the challenges faced post Covid, Brexit and the cost of living crisis.

The story will take us through to the current development activity which will see the establishment of much-needed leisure facilities to encourage visitors into the town.

Jonathan’s presentation will be supported by a range of visuals from the past, present and future with the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the presentation which is expected to finish around 8.30pm.

Entry is free to HCS members with non-members asked for a donation of £5. Those attending and wishing to become a member of HCS will be given the opportunity to become a member for an additional £5 on the night.
Booking via Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/Kingsgate21years

If you want to hear about future HCS events as soon as they become bookable on Eventbrite please tick the box which says ‘Keep me updated on more events and news from this event organiser’ when you make your Eventbrite booking for our  September 7 talk.
 
Kirklees Heritage Open Days 2023

I understand that over 80 venues and events will feature in this year’s Kirklees Heritage Open Days, part of the annual festival organised by the National Trust, which runs from September 8 to 17. All venues and events are free although a small number must be booked. For details of the venues and events in the Kirklees area look out for the Kirklees HOD brochure published in mid-August or go to the national website www.heritageopendays.org.uk and search ‘Kirklees’.
 
7.00pm Thursday 19 October: Huddersfield Modernism: From Art Deco to Brutalism

A joint event with Huddersfield Modernists. Details and venue in a future update.

Huddersfield Cultural Heart

Last month I wrote about HCS concerns regarding the proposal to amalgamate the museum and art gallery within the former library. The report stated that ‘because economic constraints’ need to be considered, one of the opportunities currently being explored ‘is the combining of the museum and gallery into one building to provide the most cost-effective solution in terms of capital spend and operational costs' and find another purpose for the art gallery building. This decision was particularly worrying given the Cultural Heart proposals only received planning permission in March 2023.

As a result of the council’s report, several other local organisations shared similar concerns and last week a meeting was held between representatives from HCS, Huddersfield Local History Society, Huddersfield and District Archaeological Society, Friends of Tolson Museum and Kirkburton History Group.

​The group intends to question how the initial and proposed decisions were reached, what future actions are to be taken eg. will there be further public consultation and a need to submit a revised planning application and what does this mean for the future of Tolson Museum and Art Gallery, given the considerable reduction in floorspace for displays and collections.

I will report what actions are to be taken by the group in a future update.

​Update by HCS chairman David Wyles.

​Events

Thursday, August 24 at 6pm: Evening Walk Around Golcar – followed by Supper at the Colne Valley Museum. Meet: Providence Methodist Church, Knowl Road, Golcar.
 
Our summer evening guided walk takes us on an exploration of the Methodist and Anglican churches, together with a tour/history of the village and ends at Colne Valley Museum for a pea and pie supper with a hot drink at about 7.30 pm (and a look around for those who wish).  Please let us know if you have any special dietary requirements.

The walking tour will last approximately 90 minutes. The evening costs £8 including supper for HCS members. Non-members will be charged £10. Numbers will be limited to 25 people so don’t delay in booking a place for yourself and any guests you wish to bring.

Bookings must be no later than Tuesday, August 8 please as we need to confirm numbers with the museum for supper by contacting Michael Barron, email: mj.barron@btinternet.com, telephone: 01484 537080.

Discover Huddersfield Walks’ Programme 2023
 
The next walk – Huddersfield Textile Walk - is at 2.30pm on Sunday, July 30. Join Carol Hardy and Julie Mahoney to explore some major locations associated with textile manufacturing. Bookings can be made up to 14 days before the walk through Eventbrite by going to bit.ly/42gClji
 
Thursday, September 7 at 7pm: Kingsgate – 20th Anniversary, Current Development Proposals. Details and venue in a future update.

Thursday, October 19 at 7pm: Huddersfield Modernism: From Art Deco to Brutalism. A joint event with Huddersfield Modernists. Details and venue in a future update.
 
Huddersfield Cultural Heart

Kirklees Cabinet meeting on June 27 approved spending a further £5.62m on the next stage of the Cultural Heart development and the implementation of phase 1 (new library, food hall, events square/public realm and the associated service areas).

While heartened by the efforts to move the scheme forward to the next stage, HCS has major concerns regarding the proposal to amalgamate the museum and art gallery within the former library. The report stated that ‘because economic constraints’ need to be considered, one of the opportunities currently being explored ‘is the combining of the museum and gallery into one building to provide the most cost-effective solution in terms of capital spend and operational costs' and find another purpose for the art gallery building.

The concept of a Cultural Heart emphasised the importance of improving and re-developing the library, museum and art gallery. There is a clear danger of this ambitious scheme being watered down by limiting the key elements on which the 'cultural heart' concept was initially based. Combining these important assets will severely limit the space needed to re-house the excellent collection currently at Tolson Museum and restrict the art gallery from displaying its important collection and hosting touring exhibitions.

The spatially co-ordinated design by consultant architects FCB on which the planning permission was based provided a museum of 5,918sqm and an art gallery of 3,043 sqm. By suggesting both could fit into one building it assumes the museum could be reduced to half the proposed area planned by FCB or that both will lose a considerable amount of floor area.

Are we, therefore, to assume there will be a requirement to re-consult the public on these elements?

As I write I am hoping to organise a meeting with a number of other local organisations who have expressed similar concerns.

Transport News

Thanks to colleague Geoff Hughes for providing the following update on transport matters.

Station Gateway

Following on from my last update there appears to have been no progress on the draft brief regarding the cross-station links. We had hoped to have been consulted on work to develop the business case by now. Let’s hope the wait won’t be as bad as that faced by those hoping to catch a train on time!

Transpennine Route Upgrade

Preparatory work continues year with periodic line closures while preceding work, eg rebuilding Morley station, continues. Momentum is building at project sites, including at Alder Street, where significant earth moving and construction is taking place.

No news though on dates for major work activities and for timing of anticipated long-duration local road/bridge/line closures on John William Street, along Leeds Road and the Cooper Bridge area. Similarly, there is no news on when the proposed temporary station at Alder Street may come into use.

A62 Leeds Road Improvements

This scheme has now been completed for nearly a mile out from the ring road with a major redesign of the area around the entrance to the Great Northern Retail Park. Kirklees Council is to be congratulated on constructing Huddersfield’s first substantive new cycle lanes along this section and high quality landscaping. Included are several sections of shared cycle/pedestrian paving and a number of dedicated cycle crossings.

Unfortunately, there are numerous design problems and several serious build problems that affect cyclists and pedestrians. HCS and the Huddersfield Unlimited Transport Group has notified the Kirklees Highways project group of these issues and been told that ‘snagging’ discussions with the contractors are underway.

However, the group is very concerned that some issues may not be corrected and that lessons may not be learned for future schemes.
 
Town Centre Maintenance

Last summer I contacted Kirklees Council regarding dying trees and poorly managed planters saying: “I was dismayed to see dead and dying trees in the planters in St George’s Square and weeds filling the planters opposite the town hall … it reflects the concerns articulated by the Society in relation to ambitious improvement programmes, such as New Street. If revenue resources are limiting the proper management and maintenance of existing areas there has to be an increasing level of concern regarding certain initiatives being pursued within the Blueprint area.’

Now with dry weather again affecting us and no visible improvement in maintaining planters, concerns have recently been highlighted in the Huddersfield Examiner under the headline, ‘Kirklees Council accused of letting trees and flowers die in scorching heat’ (June 14, 2023).

With what appears to be growing numbers of local people visiting Halifax, Brighouse and other neighbouring towns, poor perceptions could have a lasting effect on a town’s ability to retain existing footfall.

Both the Civic Society and, it appears, the majority of local residents welcome the aspirations contained in the Blueprint for the town centre. Therefore, it is of mounting concern that unless these important issues are addressed, public confidence in the council’s ability to effectively manage current and planned improvements will dissipate.

Civic Society announces Winner of Sustainable Architecture Prize 2023

HCS has announced the winner of its annual Peter Stead Award.

The award, organised in association with the University of Huddersfield Department of Architecture and 3D Design, is presented to the student who, in the opinion of the judges, produces the best project focussing on the issue of sustainability.

From the four nominated submissions judged by HCS Executive Committee members Sylvia Johnson and Gideon Richards it was decided that this year’s winner was architecture student Stacey Barratt who received the £200 prize.
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The Peter Stead Award is named after the designer, architect, writer and innovator responsible for some of Huddersfield’s most remarkable post war houses and long-time member of the society, who died in 1999. The award also demonstrates our continuing positive working relationship with the University of Huddersfield and its staff.

Huddersfield Civic Society is worried the ambitious Cultural Heart plans for the town centre are being watered down.

The society voiced concerns after Kirklees Council’s Cabinet decided to change the plan so the museum and art gallery will now be under same roof – the former Grade II Listed main Huddersfield library – rather than in separate buildings to save money.

The council says this would also free up a plot on Queen Street and an early proposal is for Greenhead College to use it as science, technology, engineering and mathematics block.

But Huddersfield Civic Society chairman David Wyles said: “We have major concerns regarding the proposal to amalgamate the museum and art gallery within the former library.

“The concept of a Cultural Heart emphasised the importance of improving and re-developing the library, museum and art gallery. There is a clear danger of this ambitious scheme being watered down by limiting the key elements on which the ‘cultural heart’ concept was initially based.

“Combining these important assets will severely limit the space needed to re-house the excellent collection currently at Tolson Museum and restrict the art gallery from displaying its important collection and hosting touring exhibitions.”

He said the original plan provided 5,918sq metres for the museum and 3,043 sq metres for the art gallery but the floor space for both will be considerably less if they are in the same building and the museum could lose as much as half.

HCS wants to see further public consultation on any changes.

A report to the Cabinet meeting that passed the plan stated: “One opportunity currently being explored is the combining of the museum and gallery into one building to provide the most cost effective solution in terms of capital spend and operational costs. This in turn would free up a plot on Queen Street.

“The council is currently in discussions with Greenhead College and The Conway Education Trust who have expressed an interest in developing the site for a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) facility. Alternative potential uses for the plot include hotel and residential.”

Clr Graham Turner, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, said: “A flagship building for student learning in the heart of Huddersfield will attract even more external investment and create more jobs and help stimulate the local economy.”

Work on the Cultural Heart will be done in phases.

The overall plans will see the refurbishment of the former Queensgate Market into a vibrant food hall and Huddersfield Library into the new museum and art gallery. It also includes a new community-focused library, live entertainment venue and a 350-space car park, all connected by a series of world-class public spaces.

The recommendation is that initial works will concentrate on the refurbishment of the historic Queensgate Market site which will be transformed into the new food hall and modern library along with a new outdoor public square. The plan would see various site surveys and preparation work completed throughout 2023 with work getting underway early in 2024. 
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The first phase of the scheme is expected to be finished in winter 2025.

An architect student’s vision for a community centre in a northern city has won a prize from Huddersfield Civic Society.
 
Stacey Barratt, a Master of Architecture final year student at the University of Huddersfield, had drawn up a sustainable architecture design for the Hull Youth Art and Education Centre.
 
She was awarded the £200 annual Peter Stead Award by Sylvia Johnson and Gideon Richards who are Huddersfield Civic Society (HCS) Committee members and members of the judging panel.
 
The judges particularly liked how the development integrated itself into the Hull landscape and community with a strong campus emphasis being for and managed by the local community.
 
Sylvia said: “Having been to that area of Hull a few times I could picture the project sitting in Hull very well.”
 
Stacey considered the use of sustainable materials to create a campus that meets the needs of all its occupants and takes into account its future operations and climate change such as flood risk management.
 
Stacey’s design was one of four judged by HCS.
 
Gideon said: “We would like to thank the students for their innovative approaches to sustainability in the built environment.”
 
Huddersfield-born Peter Stead, who died in 2000 aged 77, was a pioneer in urban design. He was involved in building Farnley Hey, a Bauhaus-inspired house designed by Peter Womersley at Farnley Tyas near Huddersfield in the 1950s. The house was recognised as a revolutionary concept and awarded a medal by the Royal Institute of British Architects.
 
The other students’ work was also thought provoking.
 
Katie Ambler’s mycelium research and remediation project to better integrate and support Savile Town and Dewsbury demonstrated innovative thinking about new materials.
 
Oliver Cuddeford looked at the retrofitting and conversion of an office block into apartments, supported by new businesses. Tyler Dale’s passivhaus project was set in the heart of Camden, London.
 
HCS congratulates them all and wishes them every success in their careers.

Summer is upon us and there has been a lot of activity in and around the town.

Events

Saturday, July 22, 2023. Tour of Barnsley Town Centre
 
I hope you will all have seen the recently sent invitation for the morning tour hosted by Barnsley Civic Trust. Not only will we be able to appreciate both the heritage and newer developments within the town but the morning will also include a visit to the Miners’ Hall to see some of the items associated with those involved in extracting the black gold.

The tour will begin with a welcome introduction, tea/coffee at the Cooper Gallery (a train from Huddersfield arrives just before 10am and car parking is available nearby.
 
The cost for the morning tour of Barnsley is just £5 for HCS members and £8 for non-members. Numbers are limited to 25 maximum so if you are interested in attending please ensure you book by July 14 latest by contacting HCS Treasurer Michael Barron, telephone: 01484 537080; email: mj.barron@btinternet.com by Monday, July 1 in order for us to confirm numbers with Barnsley CT.
 
Discover Huddersfield Walks Programme 2023
 
Exploring Marsden - The Growth of a Village will be the focus of the next DH walk at 7pm on Thursday, June 15. This will be followed on June 25 at 2.30pm by Sites from Slaithwaite’s Radical Past. Bookings can be made up to 14 days before each walk through Eventbrite by going to bit.ly/42gClji
 
Evening Walk Around Golcar

A provisional date has been set for our annual evening stroll, this year around the heart of Golcar, finishing with supper at Colne Valley Museum. Further details will be circulated soon but it will be a 6pm start on Thursday, August 24.
 
Transport News

Station Gateway
 
We understand Kirklees is awaiting comments on the draft brief from some of the external stakeholders – West Yorkshire Combined Authority, HD1 Developments Ltd (owners of the station warehouse), Network Rail and TransPennine Trains Ltd (the successor to TransPennine Express Ltd). 

Once these comments have been received we hope the brief will be finalised and consultants appointed after which we expect HCS, as part of our combined efforts with Huddersfield Unlimited (HU), to be included in further consultation.

Leeds Road Improvements

HCS committee colleague Geoff Hughes recently visited the Leeds Road A62 corridor with members of the HU Transport Group to review the recently (just about) completed cycle route scheme and new crossings.

There has been general praise for the scheme and it is clear that considerable thought and money has been expended on tree planting along some of the new central reservation and new shrubbery and herbaceous verges. Critically, all the above need maintenance in the first couple of summers, especially during dry weather as we have recently experienced.

Let’s hope more consideration is given to this issue given the complaints I submitted in 2022 following the failure to water the container planted trees in St George’s Square, many of which were left to perish in the drought.
 
Conservation and Listed Buildings
 
Former Infirmary
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Continuing concern about the state of the former Infirmary, now even more visible following the demolition of the Kirklees College blocks, has led to an investigation of what efforts are being made to ensure adequate protection is being given to the Grade 2* building and its adjoining listed extensions. I have now emailed Helen Bower, Team Leader Kirklees Conservation, Design, Ecology and Trees, requesting clarification on the current position, stating the following:

“I note details for the sale of the remainder of this site, including the former Grade 2* Infirmary are now with an agent: https://search.fljltd.co.uk/properties/140253-trinity-west-trinity-street-huddersfield.
 
“Noting the following from the Deed of Agreement drawn up between Kirklees and the owner of the site, would you be able to tell us what progress has been made in instigating the Urgent Repair Works and Conservation Management Plan?
 
“It's difficult to understand all elements referred to in the legal agreement but we feel it is of growing concern that the listed buildings remain vulnerable and are much more visible now demolition of the former college buildings, in preparation for the Lidl supermarket, has taken place.”
 
Other Buildings at Risk

I have also written to Kirklees Enforcement Team regarding two other listed buildings. The Green, 32 Meltham Road, Lockwood, has been left in a very dilapidated state for many years but its framework is believed to date from a mediaeval structure.
 
And 104 Trinity Street is one of the fine ashlar faced early C19th terraced properties leading towards Greenhead Park. Its shop signage is both huge, inappropriate and appears never to have received planning or listed building consent.
 
There are several other important buildings where we have voiced concerns but if you are aware of buildings, either listed or in Conservation Areas, where dereliction or illegal work has been carried out please let us know. We will do our best to engage the appropriate Kirklees officers in taking appropriate action.
 
Planning Issues

The George Hotel
 
On June 8 Kirklees Strategic Planning Committee delegated approval of the application and the issuing of the decision notice to the Head of Planning and Development subject to an additional condition to establish a cycle storage facility for hotel employees. Although not a statutory consultee, many of the issues raised by HCS in its submission regarding the application appear to align with comments made by Historic England.

There have been some fundamental changes which improve the relationship with the original building as well as improvements to fenestration, parapet levels and unification of various elements.
The west elevation is particularly much stronger, both in its relationship with the original and as a new build extension.

Let’s hope the management agreement between the council and Radisson will allow work to begin without delay in order to stimulate further investment along the station to stadium corridor.

Members update from Huddersfield Civic Society chairman David Wyles

Events

Wednesday, May 24, 2023, 7pm-8.30pm at New North Road Baptist Church, New North Parade Huddersfield HD1 5JU

Peter Womersley, Architect, 1923 -1993. Talk: ‘The Best House in Britain’.

There’s already a strong interest in attending this event so if you haven’t already booked your place on Eventbrite please do so soon.

Neil Jackson, Professor Emeritus of Architecture at the University of Liverpool, will be outlining the life and work of architect Peter Womersley, designer of Farnley Hey near Honley and the former Midland Bank (now HSBC) in the town centre, and coincides with the publication by the Twentieth Century Society, Historic England and Liverpool University Press, of the first book on Peter Womersley written by the speaker.

Bookings can now be made via Eventbrite by clicking here or using this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/peter-womersley-1923-1993-architect-talk-the-best-house-in-britain-tickets-593311940987

 
Saturday, July 22, 2023. HCS Tour of Barnsley Town Centre.

Hosted by Barnsley Civic Trust, our annual Saturday day out offers the chance to discover some of the region’s towns and attractions. Following an evening visit to Halifax in 2022 this excursion will provide an insight into how another of our regional towns is responding to change as well as its heritage and cultural highlights.

Further details in a later update.
 
Discover Huddersfield Walks’ Programme 2023

Modernism in architecture will be the focus of the next DH walk at 2.30pm, on Sunday, May 14. Led by former HCS Chair Chris Marsden, the walk will reveal how Huddersfield embraced this architectural style, looking at some of the surviving hits, misses and messes. Bookings can be made up to 14 days before each walk through Eventbrite by going to: bit.ly/42gClji
 
Conservation and Listed Buildings
 
A recent online meeting with Helen Bower, recently appointed Team Leader Kirklees Conservation, Design, Ecology and Trees allowed me, Martin Kilburn, Robert Taylor and corporate member, architect Jonathan Lovatt, to raise issues concerning key listed buildings at risk, namely the former Infirmary; St. Andrews Church, Leeds Road; Oakes School; Edgerton Cemetery, Gatehouse and Chapels and Dalton Grange, Bradley Mills Road.
 
Helen outlined the work of her team, resource constraints and the welcome appointment of specialist consultants, Purcell architects and heritage consultants, for preparing a Conservation Area Management Plan for the town centre.
 
This includes consideration of a shop front design guide, something HCS developed in draft with the council over 12 years ago but was never published. We expect to be formally consulted on this shortly.
 
The HCS focus was on how the local authority was meeting its responsibilities in ensuring the proper protection of key listed buildings and their re-use. This included the need for adequate enforcement to prevent damage through vandalism and weather, the marketing of Edgerton cemetery buildings and other actions to counter what appears to be an increasing number of listed properties being purposefully left to decay.
 
Huddersfield Town Centre Partnership Seminar  

A Living Town - A focus on Huddersfield Town Centre Residential Development.
 
As a participant in the Town Centre Partnership, Service Director for Development Joanne Bartholomew had responded to my request to organise a short seminar on town centre residential opportunities.
 
As a result, I was able to give a short presentation along with speakers from Kirklees, the University of Huddersfield, Thirteen Group (who are partners with Kirklees in the conversion of Estate Buildings and Somerset Buildings) and Historic England.
 
Given the difficulty in attracting major players, such as Urban Splash to the town, my focus was on the successful conversion of property and vacant land, much of which is listed or within the TC Conservation Area and support for local developers and their architects in co-ordinating, advising, incentivising and promoting the many opportunities that exist. 
 
Along with committee colleague Gideon Richards, HCS corporate members attending included representatives from Acumen, Fibre and Eight One Two architects.
 
Planning Issues

Crown House and the University Health Campus

HCS has broadly supported proposals to convert the former tax office Crown House, which has been empty for many years, into student accommodation. Developers, Abode Manchester 2 Ltd, have applied for permission to transform it into 198 studio apartments. The site sits adjacent to the university’s Health Campus on Southgate.
 
As you may have seen reported by local media, work has now begun on the first phase of the health campus on the junction of Leeds Road and the ring road, the Daphne Steele building, named after the first black matron in the UK which will house the Health and Wellbeing Academy.
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St Peter’s Gardens
 
Although HCS was involved in initial consultations and despite efforts made by committee colleague Sylvia Johnson, we were surprised when Kirklees Cabinet allocated the Parish Church £470,000 from Historic England’s High Streets/Heritage Action Zone funding, without any further liaison.
 
The church had already received the necessary approvals to carry out work to create an integrated parking and multi-functional events space for an area adjoining the church and will be delighted to have received this grant.
 
However, we remain concerned that this proposal was not integral to the draft improvement plans for the remainder of the gardens. As has often been stated, this is the only notable green space within the town centre and yet there is little information forthcoming regarding improvements to the remaining part of the site nor any indication of a plan for how events and maintenance of the whole area are to be managed. Sylvia is currently liaising with the church’s architect, Stuart Beaumont of One 17 architects, and we expect to be included in further discussions in relation to Phase 2 proposals.  
 
The George Hotel
 
It is understood Kirklees officers and architects Bowman Riley have been in discussion with the regional office of Historic England in relation to the proposals to convert the building into a hotel for Radisson hotel group. It is hoped that attention has been paid to formal comments submitted by HCS, although no specific information has yet appeared under ‘Consultation Responses’ for the scheme other than an initial letter stating, ‘The project team has arranged a site visit to discuss the proposed alterations. We will provide detailed comments on the impact of the proposals on the significance of the building following that visit.”
 
The letter was submitted on February 13 so it is assumed this meeting has already taken place. 

Members update from Huddersfield Civic Society chairman David Wyles.
First an important reminder that our annual general meeting is coming up and will be held over the internet.

Tuesday, March 28, 7pm to 8.30pm. HCS AGM (by Zoom)
 
Below is the link for joining the AGM. We, the Executive Committee of HCS, hope you will be able to attend. You should have recently received an agenda and papers including my report as Chair and Michael Barron’s treasurer’s report.
 
Following the AGM, which should last no longer than 30 to 45 minutes, we will be allocating a similar amount of time for members to ask their questions about our work and initiatives, projects affecting the town centre and suburbs and other issues people may wish to raise.
 
https://iso.zoom.us/j/2463569858?pwd=UTBwWmJwTjcvTU5zNi9CR0dCcWNQdz09

Events

Tuesday April 18, 2023, 7pm to 8.30pm at Woodsome Hall Golf Club.
The Women and Men who made Woodsome: from Baldwin Tyas in 1236 to Elizabeth Kaye in 1726.
 
I hope you received details of this evening talk by Philip Sands. Over 20 people have already booked but a few places remain.

If you would like to attend contact Sylvia Johnson by email at sylviatedjohnson@gmail.com or by phone on 07910 729381.

Wednesday, May 24, 2023, 7pm to 8.30pm at New North Road Baptist Church, New North Parade Huddersfield HD1 5JU
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Peter Womersley, Architect, 1923 -1993. Talk: ‘The Best House in Britain’
 
When asked which was the best house in Britain Sir Basil Spence, the architect of Coventry Cathedral, replied: “Any house designed by Peter Womersley.”
 
Starting with his very first house, Farnley Hey at Farnley Tyas, near Huddersfield, the house that made Womersley famous overnight, this lecture will explore Womersley’s architecture, moving from houses to medical and government buildings, sports stadia and office buildings, including the Midland Bank (HSBC) in Huddersfield.

The lecture will be given by Neil Jackson, Professor Emeritus of Architecture at the University of Liverpool, an architect and a historian of 19th and 2oth century architecture, and coincides with the publication  by the Twentieth Century Society, Historic England and Liverpool University Press, of the first book on Peter Womersley written by the speaker.

Bookings can now be made via Eventbrite using this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/peter-womersley-1923-1993-architect-talk-the-best-house-in-britain-tickets-593311940987?utm_source=eventbrite&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=post_publish&utm_content=shortLinkNewEmail
 
Discover Huddersfield Walks’ Programme 2023
 
As indicated in my last update, the 2023 Discover Walks’ programme is now available with 15 walks between April 20 and the end of October. For full booking details of the walks via Eventbrite go to: bit.ly/42gClji
Bookings can be made up to 14 days before each walk.
 
Huddersfield Blueprint
 
Some HCS members may have read the Spring 2023 Huddersfield Blueprint Newsletter published by Kirklees Council in Kirklees Together. It’s a very useful summary of the key projects and their progress. To read this issue go to: https://kirkleestogether.co.uk/2023/03/09/the-huddersfield-blueprint-newsletter/
 
Members may also have noted that approval was given for the Cultural Heart development on March 2. Construction of the first phase of the scheme is set to get underway in Spring 2024. Initial works will concentrate on the major refurbishments of the historic Queensgate Market as well as the creation of a brand-new outdoor public square.
 
The HCS Executive Committee, while broadly supporting the key elements of the proposals, continue to have concerns about various elements of the development, particularly in relation to parking provision, future maintenance of outdoor space and loss of retail floorspace, as outlined in detailed comments submitted and available to read in the HCS website Planning pages.
 
Planning Applications

Applications 2022/93964 and 2022/93895: 17-33a John William Street

I am delighted to say that the planning applications for shopfront improvements along John William Street, specifically numbers 17 -33a, have now been approved. The very poor standard of upkeep and level of illegal signage along this section of the street was highlighted over 10 years ago and for those coming from the station and out of St George’s Square, must have given a very negative perception of the town.
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HCS’s formal comments regarding the proposals stated: “The Civic Society welcomes this long overdue improvement to shop frontages along John William Street and hopes the work will encourage other applications of a similar standard to be submitted and implemented.”

Members’ update from Huddersfield Civic Society chairman David Wyles
Here’s a varied bag of activities, updates and information I hope will provide some clarity about our involvement and efforts as the town evolves during a period that is both exciting yet challenging.  

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Planning Applications
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News that Kirklees Council has given itself listed building consent to demolish 1-5 Longroyd Lane, after the buildings had been left to deteriorate and rot for over 40 years has set a worrying precedent.
 
In an article in the Examiner on February 24, 2023, former HCS Chair Chris Marsden stated 'the decay of the properties was entirely planned and cynical'. What concerns me even more is the level of irresponsibility by the local authority when we have a number of other significant listed buildings that appear to be purposefully being left to rot by their private owners.
 
Clearly councillors appear to take the line that once a listed building deteriorates to a certain level it is acceptable to allow demolition, as indicated by the quote in the article and by comments made when the former Infirmary/Kirklees College site was given approval.

I don’t dispute that this junction has been subject to proposed and much needed road improvements for years but the way the council has handled this sets a very low benchmark. Kirklees, above all others, needs to demonstrate that it recognises and values the town’s build heritage.

A number of colleagues and myself will take these issues up with Helen Bower who fairly recently has been appointed Kirklees Team Leader, Conservation and Design, at a meeting currently being arranged.

Other Recent Decisions

Fortunately, there is also some better news to report. Applications for a number of large illuminated display panels, proposed for footways around the town centre, about which we submitted strong objections, have recently been refused. Click here to read the Huddersfield Hub story about this.​

Also rejected is a proposal to erect a 15 metre high telecoms mast directly in front of the Grade 2* Old Longley Hall, one of the most architecturally and historically important buildings in the town. Again, we hope our comments supplemented similar concerns voiced by the council’s Conservation Officer.

For these and more submitted comments regarding current applications don’t forget to check out the HCS website Planning pages.
 
The George Hotel

A formal HCS response to Kirklees regarding proposals for the conversion of the George Hotel (application 2023/90024) has been submitted and published on the HCS website. 

There have been various levels of support and concern with acknowledgement of the detailed investigations and consideration for preservation of the original 1850 building but concerns over the two extended blocks, necessary to provide the 90 bedroom capacity required by Radisson. These are not felt to be fully considered, especially in the context of ensuring  the main elevations augment the special qualities and impact of other buildings in the square.

Please find the time to look at the proposals and submit your views.
 
Events  

Tuesday, March 28, 7pm to 8.30pm. HCS annual general meeting by Zoom.
 
This year we’ll be hosting the AGM by Zoom. Given the AGM, covering my report as Chair, Michael Barron’s treasurer’s report and nominations for the coming year is completed in just over 30 minutes we felt that, rather than organise a speaker, we would allocate 30 to 45 minutes for members to ask questions about our work and initiatives, projects affecting the town centre and suburbs and other issues individuals may wish to raise.
 
Representing over 140 members it is really important we strive to obtain your feedback so we hope you will note the date and make every effort to attend from the comfort of your home. Agenda and papers will be sent out in the next fortnight and, please, if you feel you could provide practical support to our efforts we would love to welcome new faces onto the committee.
 
Wednesday, May 24, 7pm to 8.30pm. New North Road Baptist Church.
 
Neil Jackson, Emeritus Professor of Architecture at the University of Liverpool will be talking about the life and work of  the celebrated architect, Peter Womersley, whose modernist house, Farnley Hey near Honley, is considered to be one of the finest of its type in the country.

Neil’s book about Peter Womersley (1923 – 1993) is soon to be published and will draw attention to the significance of his work, placing it in its national and international context. We are delighted to have organised the event in partnership with the recently formed Huddersfield chapter of the Modernist Society.
 
Booking details to follow.
 
Of Time and Place: February 10 to 1 April, Wednesday to Saturday 11am to 4pm. Huddersfield Art Gallery, Unit 7 Princess Alexandra Walk, Huddersfield, HD1 2RS.

I know I mentioned this in my last update but if you haven’t already been or benefitted from one of the tours, led by former HCS Chair Chris Marsden, I urge you to do so.

I still hear the occasional comment about why on earth the market is considered such a special building. Well, why not visit the exhibition and hopefully you’ll begin to appreciate how this building matches the quality of a number of equally ambitious and ground-breaking structures across the globe.

Discover Huddersfield Trails and Walks’ Programme 2023

Two new trails are currently being prepared for publication at the end of March. The Town of Sanctuary Trail by Heather Norris Nicholson follows locations associated with the support the town has shown for people fleeing from violence, conflict and persecution from the 19th Century onwards.

The Greasepaint and Limelight Trail by Ian Stevenson is part two of a trail, first prepared by the late Brian Haigh, which traces the fascinating story of our theatres and cinemas many of which no longer exist or have been converted to other uses.

Both trails are free and, like the other 17 in the series, can be found at libraries and various locations around the town.

The Walks’ Programme commences on Sunday, April 30 when local historian and HCS member David Griffiths will reveal ‘Georgian Huddersfield’. Programme leaflets and booking details will be available from libraries and other information points or from the Discover Huddersfield website https://discoverhuddersfield.uk from the end of March.

And finally, thanks to all who have paid this year’s subs. If it has slipped your mind please let us have your payment as soon as possible. Remember, it is just £12.50 for individual members and £30 for corporate members. All your money helps towards our work in continuing to strive for a town which is proud of its past, its present and its future.

As we welcome in 2023 there has been a surge in activity particularly in relation to proposals for the town centre.
 
The George Hotel

A formal application (2023/90024) for the conversion of the George Hotel has recently been submitted. The HCS Executive Committee will shortly be submitting its comments on the proposals.

Rather than be daunted by the sheer number of plans that have been submitted to support the application, I suggest it’s particularly important to look at the Design and Access Statement and I would draw members’ attention to pages 20-25 of this document.

Those who attended the presentation by Helen Walker, Head of Heritage, Bowman Riley Architects and conservation architect for the renovation of the George Hotel, in September 2022, will recall that her commission was primarily an investigation of the internal structure and historic elements (see Heritage Statement). What concerns me regarding the pages I have referred to are some of the elevational details, the mix of various materials and the articulation of the extensions particularly with regard to the elevations facing towards the railway line and onto JW Street.

I hope others will not only have time to look at the proposals but would urge people to submit their views. I have been in contact with Huddersfield Society of Architects, several of whom are corporate HCS members, to elicit their views. This is one of the town centre’s most notable buildings and how it looks when extended will be critical in ensuring the building’s historic and architectural importance is secure.

Transport Proposals

Further to my last update regarding the effect of inflation on proposed transport schemes, including Huddersfield Station Gateway improvements, we have received some comforting news from Kirklees.
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It appears that £500,000 has been allocated in the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund to develop proposals for Huddersfield Station Gateway up to Outline Business Case, the milestone for which is December 1, 2023 when the project would be reviewed.
 
This provides an opportunity to investigate several key elements of work namely, a subway or footbridge extension from the new station platform to the St George’s Warehouse site, a lift/stair tower from the warehouse site to the town centre for non-rail users and park and ride on the warehouse site, for cars, motorcycles and cycles – to serve users of the station, town centre, and a re-developed warehouse and ancillary buildings.
 
This is excellent news, one that HCS fully supports and will, hopefully, be consulted on as details emerge.
 
Events 
 
Tuesday, March 7, 2023 7pm to 8.30pm: HCS/University of Huddersfield Annual Joint Lecture: Making Housing Fit for a ‘Net Zero’ Future.

As mentioned in my last update this free lecture is aimed at the question of retrofitting housing and demystifying net zero. While climate change has often focused on new buildings, our speakers will consider issues including the lack of understanding of both retrofitting and net zero, the links between these and the need to change perception and behaviours around how we manage our homes.
 
Recent publicity regarding mould problems faced by some social housing tenants, cost pressures on both private and social landlords and budgeting challenges make net zero housing appear all the more challenging. 
 
Following an introduction by Phil Brown, Professor of Housing at Huddersfield University, a speaker from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority will discuss the lessons currently being learned from a pilot project ‘retrofitting’ 1,316 houses, many of which also need new ‘low carbon’ heating systems. These are the first of our area’s 680,000 social housing properties likely to need such work as part of meeting West Yorkshire’s 2038 net zero carbon targets.
 
A social housing provider will then discuss the trials and tribulations of carrying out such a large project across a large stock of social housing. What’s in it for a tenant, what are the key risks and problems and how might these be addressed?
 
Chris Herring, joint Managing Director of Green Building Store in Golcar and Chair of the Passivhaus Trust, will describe and discuss the benefits of the new EnerPHit, Passivhaus Retrofit Standard and Certificate and how properties that have been retrofitted to these standards support wellbeing, reduced energy usage and decarbonisation.  
 
Claire McCamley, Senior lecturer in Marketing at Huddersfield University and a specialist in behaviour change and stakeholder management, will then lead a panel discussion and invite questions from the audience on the range of practical, financial and behavioural issues to be tackled to lead us on the road to net zero in our country’s existing homes. 
 
Further information and booking details will follow in mid-February.
 
Future Events:
 
We are currently planning a number of new events as well as working with our partners on the new Discover Huddersfield walks’ programme, commencing in April, and Heritage Open Days in September.

Among the events being planned are a Saturday morning guided tour around Barnsley town centre and a presentation in late May about the celebrated architect Peter Womersley whose modernist house, Farnley Hey near Honley, is considered to be one of the finest of its type in the country.
 
Of Time and Place: February 10 April 1, Wednesday to Saturday 11am to 4pm. Huddersfield Art Gallery, Unit 7 Princess Alexandra Walk, Huddersfield, HD1 2RS.

This free public exhibition celebrates Huddersfield and its surrounding area, its culture, language, landscape, architecture and history. Curated by architectural practice Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, the exhibition is part of their wider engagement with the community alongside Kirklees Council’s ambitious Cultural Heart plans which will revitalise the centre through the repurposing of historic buildings and the creation of new arts, culture and leisure venues.

While the architecture of the Cultural Heart of Kirklees was the starting point, the resulting exhibition looks to engage with as wide an audience as possible, offering different views and experiences, and celebrating local life and language with a piece developed in collaboration with local resident and Poet Laureate Simon Armitage.

The exhibition has been created in collaboration with Huddersfield University, Kirklees Council, Simon Armitage, Colin Frank, Laura Mateescu and former HCS Chair Chris Marsden.

Town Centre Cultural Heart

As mentioned in my last update, a small group met David Shepherd, Kirklees Council’s Strategic Director for Growth and Regeneration on January 13. At the meeting, which also involved David Glover, Senior Officer responsible for the Cultural Heart application, emphasis was placed on specific issues emanating from concerns articulated in the HCS formal response to the planning application.
 
These concerns revolve around:

         Adequacy and practicality of parking & access
         Viability of the development 
         Practicality of the Outdoor event space (at the size proposed)
         Impact on and sustainability of retail offer
 
HCS Committee Secretary Martin Kilburn has dedicated a great deal of time in articulating these concerns, specifically analysing figures prepared by the council and Arup consultants on which the detailed designs prepared by Feilden, Clegg, Bradley (FCB) have been based.
 
 
Planning Matters

As well as comments submitted regarding the Cultural Heart, we have also responded to a variety of other applications and received notification on decisions about previous applications on which we have commented. For details of these go to the HCS website Planning pages.

 

As we see out 2022, here’s a taste of some activities in early 2023 which I hope will be of interest.

Events

Tuesday, January 24, 2023, 7.30pm to 9pm.  A Zoom event  organised by Cycle Kirklees to fill the gap left by a speaker unable to reach our joint Active Travel event last month.
 
Sustrans (https://www.sustrans.org.uk/) has been active in Kirklees for a couple of decades. You may not know it but, if you have walked along local canal towpaths or greenways, you’ve probably already benefited from its work locally. Its speaker was unable to attend the November 5 HCS/Cycle Kirklees event but we are fortunate that Chas Ball, HCS member and Chair of Cycle Kirklees, has arranged an extended version of that intended talk. Please note that the topics covered range across the whole of Kirklees.
 
This online event is free and can be booked now on https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/improving-local-walking-cycling-networks-the-sustrans-contribution-tickets-483163313477
  
Tuesday, March 7, 2023, 7pm to 8.30pm. HCS/University of Huddersfield Annual Joint Lecture: Making Housing Fit for a ‘Net Zero’ Future.
 
Our popular 2023 annual joint lecture will involve a panel of specialists addressing how to make existing housing fit for a net zero future. You may have heard much about designing new houses that are energy efficient but this event will instead address how best to retrofit our existing housing, whether you are an individual homeowner or manage a wide portfolio of properties in the case of a social landlord. What can be done, what savings can be made and how can people be persuaded to do it when many currently face other pressures?
​
Further information and booking details will follow in late January. 

Town Centre Cultural Heart

As mentioned in my last update, the HCS Committee Executive has now submitted a formal response to the application which can be found on the HCS website in the News and Planning pages. We are also grateful to our web manager, Andy Hirst, for ensuring our comments were also featured in the Examiner and Huddersfield Hub and Robert Taylor, HCS Planning Officer, for putting a link on the Huddersfield Town Centre Regeneration Group Facebook page.
 
As previously mentioned, although we welcome the overall proposals there are several key concerns. To this end we are fortunate to have organised a meeting with David Shepherd, Kirklees Council’s Strategic Director for Growth and Regeneration. We are grateful to David for giving us a chance to air our concerns. Whatever the outcome, it does demonstrate the value and recognition of the Civic Society in being able to hold direct and, hopefully, fruitful discussions with principal Kirklees officers.

The George Hotel

Similar to the above, a response has been submitted following a recent consultation on plans for the George Hotel: https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/huddersfield-blueprint/george-hotel.aspx.
 
While we were pleased to hear that careful consideration was being given to the historic fabric of the building, following the talk by specialist conservation architect, Helen Walker at our joint event with Huddersfield Local History Society in September and that the Radisson hotel group plan to extend and refurbish the building, we were slightly bemused by the consultation which lacked specific detail regarding the internal layout and how extensions would complement the fine Italianate detailing of this Grade 2* listed building.
 
Hopefully, contacts through our corporate members will enable Huddersfield Society of Architects to take a close interest in the proposals once fuller information has been prepared.
 
Shopfronts

Previous updates have articulated HCS frustration at the slow progress being made to improve shop fronts, particularly along a section of John William Street and Cross Church Street, despite the offer of very generous grant support to owners/tenants by the council.
 
Following liaison with Kirklees’ Nigel Hunston, Team Leader (Town Centre Conservation and Design), we are delighted that applications 2022/93964 and 2022/93895 have very recently been submitted for the reinstatement, refurbishment and repair of six shops and signage at 17-333A John William Street.
 
Having had a quick look at the submitted proposals (I was only made aware of them today) the improvements appear to be of a very high standard.
 
HCS has, for over 20 years, lamented the failure to take action against illegal work on shop fronts within the town and the negative perception inappropriate frontages has on visitors.
 
Perhaps, at last, we will see key frontages reinstated and these applications will act as a stimulus for further improvements.
 
Transport Proposals

Members may have read the news that more than 30 transport schemes across West Yorkshire have been placed on hold as a result of inflation. Schemes include main road, city connect improvements and Huddersfield Station Gateway improvements, the latter reported in my last update. While we welcome the abandonment of the A629 Blacker Road junction improvements which would have seen the felling of a high numbers of mature trees within Edgerton Conservation Area, we are equally concerned that strategic improvements relating to the railway station and active travel schemes have been paused after so much effort, time and money has been spent in driving these initiatives forward.

Looking forward to 2023

2023 could prove a transitional year for Huddersfield town centre. No doubt the council will be keen to approve the Cultural Heart proposals and complete contracts with Radisson Hotels and progress work on Estate Buildings, New Street and other improvements. 
 
In the short term, Kirklees Council has just announced that the main Huddersfield town library closes on December 31 and will operate from the Customer Service Centre on Market Street while the Local Studies library and Kirklees Transcription Service will be temporarily relocating to premises on Victoria Lane and are due to open in February until the proposed new Cultural Heart library opens in Spring 2026. 
 
The HCS Executive Committee will continue to work on your behalf and pursue key issues that have been raised over the last 12 months, such as our concern over enforcement, unprotected listed buildings, poor shopfronts, active travel, biodiversity etc. We will also continue to organise a range of stimulating talks and events as well as fully participating in groups such as Discover Huddersfield and Heritage Open Days.
 
I know I’ve mentioned this previously but we do need additional help from any members willing to allocate a few hours each month to help with our very varied activities. There are many interesting websites and media articles that praise, bemoan or criticise what’s going on within our town but few organisations have the ability to constructively and actively influence decisions and initiatives as well as promote the heritage, culture and diversity of Huddersfield.
 
I wish you all an enjoyable Christmas and hope to see you in 2023.  
 
Best Wishes
 
David Wyles
 
HCS Chairman

Huddersfield Civic Society has given a full response to the £210m Cultural Heart plans for Huddersfield town centre and you can read it on our planning page or by clicking here.

Below is a news release we've put out which is a summary of our response.
 
The £210m plan to create a Cultural Heart in Huddersfield town centre is vital to bring people in but there are several worries about the scheme.
 
Huddersfield Civic Society has welcomed the overall plan but feels there needs to be far more car parking and has concerns over how viable the scheme will be in the long-term.
 
Huddersfield Civic Society (HCS) secretary Martin Kilburn said: “The refocussing of the town centre into an attractive and vibrant place to visit as an important step on the route to encouraging visitors back into our town centre.”
 
But HCS is concerned the plans involve the demolition of Boots, seen as an important anchor store, and WH Smith on King Street. HCS says “there is some indication to suggest local residents are increasingly visiting Halifax, partly as a result of the closure of Marks and Spencer in Huddersfield. Further closures could exacerbate this loss.”
 
The recently submitted planning application has at its heart a 2,200-capacity concert, conference and events venue – but with only a 350-space multi-storey car park.
 
The Venue will be on the site of the demolished Market Hall multi-storey car park while an extended Queensgate Market building will become a food court and new library. A new museum will be in the current library building and there will be a new art gallery in Queen Street.
 
In its official comments on the plan HCS adds: “A 2,200 indoor event venue, a 3,000 outdoor event space, a large food market venue in the market hall, separate new buildings accommodating a new museum in the former library, a new art gallery and a new library must clearly generate a need for many more parking spaces if they are to have any chance of being financially viable.”
 
HCS says the new 350 space car park will be nowhere near big enough as around 80% of visitors attending events are expected to arrive by private car. The demolished former Alfred Street multi-storey car park had 588 spaces but there is nothing in the plan to explain how this lost parking will be replaced. 
 
HCS says only one entry to the car park with vehicles leaving it forced to turn
left onto the ring road may become congested during busy times with traffic backing up.
 
HCS adds: “Operation of the car park via a single entry onto the ring road is unworkable, unsafe and will discourage visitors.” 
It says the underground entrance to the old car park from Queen Street South should be reopened to solve these issues.
HCS is keen for the plan to succeed but, after looking through the planning application, says more work is needed to ensure its success.
 
It says: “A ratepayer funded project such as this should not be considered for approval without a supporting business plan demonstrating the visitor numbers required for financial viability of the development.
 
“Without key evidence of viability, councillors do not have sufficient evidence to decide on approval of the plans or its related spend.  The recent interest rate changes, inflation in material costs and reduced appetite for risk both by developers and investors has increased the risks associated with the Kirklees Cultural Heart.”
 
HCS believes that plans to hold events for 3,000 people outside on the open space, in a section called The Square, are over ambitious due to the management of large numbers of people who could attend and the number of toilets.

A long-forgotten railway siding dating back to the 19th Century has been discovered in Huddersfield close to where Huddersfield Civic Society called for Victorian coal chutes to be preserved.

The siding at Hillhouse – used for parking off-duty trains – was unearthed while teams studied maps from 1850 during a multi-billion pound rail upgrade to transform the region’s Transpenning route.

It’s thought the siding, which featured train sheds and railway turntables, was used to house and maintain trains as well as transport cattle, coal and other materials across the UK when the line formed part of the Manchester & Huddersfield Railway.

Over the last three months Network Rail has been carefully uncovering the historic site near Alder Street to prepare the route for twice as many tracks in the future, making way for faster, more frequent trains running along a greener, electrified railway.

The archaeological site is next to some historic railway coal chutes in Hillhouse at risk of being damaged by the work to build a temporary station at the site or falling into total ruin. Huddersfield Civic Society has called for more to be done to preserve them and you can read the full story lower down the news section.

A programme of survey work to unearth the old sidings was carried out with support from the Archaeological Services run by West Yorkshire Archive Service. The results confirmed that the foundations of the old sidings were buried just below the surface, spurring the specialists to bring the area back to how it would have looked over 172 years ago.

Hannah Lomas, Principal Programme Sponsor at Network Rail said: “This is an amazing insight into what the siding would have looked like over a century ago.

“Working closely with ASWYAS has allowed us to carefully excavate the site at a much faster speed while also providing useful information about the origin of the materials used and how the sidings helped transport goods around the UK.”

Delicately extracted samples of the brick and mortar will now help the team of experts to learn as much as they can about the site.

Kevin Moon, Project Manager at ASWYAS said: “As part of the planned development of Hillhouse Sidings, ASWYAS investigated the remains of the mid-19th century railway sidings underlying the modern industrial buildings on the site. 
​
“During the project, the team of archaeologists uncovered two train turntables and a series of brick-built engine sheds, providing valuable information on the early development of the railway system in Huddersfield.” 

​Here’s the latest round-up of Huddersfield Civic Society news and events from chairman David Wyles
 
Kirklees Council Reports
 
If you find the time to read Kirklees Council reports here are two that are of particular interest to the Society which were discussed at Kirklees Ad Hoc Regeneration Scrutiny Panel on September 22, 2022.

Huddersfield Station Gateway Update
 
This reveals that the council has made a submission to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) and has included in the programme an allocation of £10 million for Huddersfield Station Gateway.
 
This could help maximise the benefits of Transpennine Route Upgrade to Huddersfield by contributing towards the costs of a subway or footbridge extension from the new station platform to the St George’s warehouse site; a lift/stair tower from the warehouse site to the town centre for non-rail users; and  park and ride on the warehouse site for cars, motorcycles and cycles – to serve users of the station, town centre, and a re-developed warehouse and ancillary buildings.

HCS welcomes this bid which supports a critical link in the development of the Station Gateway and is one initiative long advocated by the society.

Huddersfield Town Centre Living Plan
 
I find myself sadly underwhelmed by this report, which, although makes all the right gestures in supporting the need for a range of residential opportunities in the town centre, is full of generic statements that any decent agent/developer would already be well aware of.
 
Crucially, it provides virtually no incentive or recommendations for working with local developers, their agents and architects in identifying and liaising with private property owners for developing high quality schemes.
 
This follows on from my last update in which I articulated the frustrations and challenges faced by local developers in dealing with and receiving responses from Kirklees Planning Department.
 
Ironically, the Kirklees report makes reference to some of the most successful developments to date, the majority of which have been built by local developers!
 
Events

Afternoon Visit to Woodsome Hall, Sunday, October 30 at 2pm.

A few places remain for this afternoon visit to Woodsome Hall. Philip Sands, will walk through 800 years of history at one of the area’s most historic houses, Woodsome Hall, a Grade 1 listed building. The tour is free to HCS Members and one guest but numbers will be limited to 30.
 
To book, contact Michael Barron by email at mj.barron@btinternet.com or phone 01484 537080.
 
The address is Woodsome Hall Golf Club, Woodsome Road, Fenay Bridge, Huddersfield HD8 OL.
 
Improving Walking and Cycling Networks in Huddersfield, Saturday, November 5 from 10am until lunchtime, New North Road Baptist Church, New North Parade, Huddersfield HD1 5JU.

A free conference organised by Huddersfield Civic Society and Cycle Kirklees. There are currently several potential road and cycling improvement schemes being proposed around Huddersfield and, with the recent formation of a new government organisation called Active Travel England, there is now substantial funding available to local authorities wishing to improve walking and cycling in their areas.
 
The objective of this event is to discuss Active Travel initiatives that are applicable to all of us in and around Huddersfield and how these can best be delivered over the next few years. There will be speakers from West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Sustrans, Kirklees Council and Huddersfield Ramblers, among others.
 
Kirklees needs more accessible, dedicated walking and cycling routes. Join us and help debate about how to make a better place to live and work.

The event is free to attend but must be booked via Eventbrite at: 
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/improving-your-local-walking-cycling-networks-tickets-435631855607
 
Discover Huddersfield Trails and Walks’ Programme 2022

As a fitting end to the season, the popular Shuddersfield Halloween Walk on Sunday, October 30 led by Rebecca Winwood uncovers ghost stories and horrible happenings and is suitable for families and children aged 9+. Book via Eventbrite up to 14 days before the walk. Go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/discover-huddersfield-guided-walks-programme-2022-120689.
 
The walk costs £4 per person and will last between 90 minutes and  2 hours.
 
Discover Huddersfield is managed by a small committee, largely comprising volunteers from local societies and organisations. If you feel you would like to help organising and supporting the walks programme and publication of trails please let me know. It’s always useful to have additional support and, over the years, the programme and trails have proved very successful and stimulating for both organisers and participants.

Town Centre Cultural Heart

As indicated in my last update an application has now been submitted for what must be the most ambitious part of the town centre blueprint.

The application number is 2022/93248 but you may find the 150 documents a far too onerous task to wade through. It has been suggested that to get a readable and well- illustrated explanation of the proposals look at the Heritage Assessment, prepared by Feilden, Clegg Bradley Studios, the consultants for the development proposals.

To view this go to:  https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/planning-applications/search-for-planning-applications/filedownload.aspx?application_number=2022/93248&file_reference=954705

As previously mentioned, the HCS Committee Executive has a number of concerns regarding the proposals and will be co-ordinating a formal response to the application which will be posted on the HCS website. However, I urge as many HCS members as possible to take the time to consider these proposals and submit your own views.

Planning and Enforcement Issues

Following on from concerns listed in my last update there has been some further news plus additional issues:
 
114 Trinity Street: This listed building within a Conservation Area has acquired huge and inappropriate signage. The Council’s Conservation and Enforcement officers have been asked to investigate, not only in relation to the building’s architectural importance but the impact of such signage on a road that provides a visually important gateway into the town.

Former Neaversons shop, 4 Byram Street: The sans serif lettering of this listed shop front has now been restored (albeit in MDF) following removal by the new tenant.

11 Greenhead Road: I am awaiting a report on the large and inappropriate signage to this building following understanding that an Enforcement Notice had been served on the owner.

Fell Greave Marquee and groundworks: It is understood an Enforcement Notice will be served for the removal of the marquee and restoration of the site by the end of October. The HCS has expressed deep concern over this unlawful development, particularly as the land is believed to be owned by the council.
News of other planning issues can be found on the HCS website.  

New Publication: Briarcourt – The Story of a House with a Heart

A Huddersfield house, designed by Edgar Wood, recognised as one of the country’s finest Arts and Crafts architects, is the subject of a new book published by Huddersfield Local History Society for the Edgar Wood Heritage Group (Yorkshire) with the support of the present owners. The book celebrates both the art and architecture of the house while touching on the lives of past residents.

Briarcourt - The Story of a House with a Heart (ISBN 978-0-9929841-4-4), can be bought through the Huddersfield Local History Society’s website for £2.25 p&p (https://www.huddersfieldhistory.org.uk/publications/) and is also available in local bookshops.

The hunt is on to find the best businesses in Huddersfield town centre – and nominations are open now.

Huddersfield BID and Huddersfield Civic Society have teamed up to launch the Huddersfield Business Champions awards.

There are five categories – Best Café, Best Restaurant, Best Bar or Entertainment Venue, Best Retailer and Best Commercial or Service-led Business – and any business based in the town centre can nominate themselves.

Each category will have the same judging criteria which include such as customer service, business appearance, sustainability, corporate social responsibility and accessibility.

Huddersfield BID (Business Improvement District) was created by Huddersfield businesses in 2020 and one of its key objectives is to maintain a “safe and attractive” town centre.

The awards will have three judges, BID manager Sam Sharp, David Wyles, president of Huddersfield Civic Society, and BID board member Chan Khangura, a director of Huddersfield-based Whitegates estate agents.

Sam urged town centre businesses to enter the awards and said: “Our town and all its users are important to the continued growth and development of the BID zone.

“We want to encourage retailers in the town centre to make sure their shop front looks good and to provide excellent customer service and we want them to be recognised and rewarded for their efforts.”

Chan added: “As a business owner in my local town I am thrilled to be a board member of Huddersfield BID. When Sam had the idea to ‘champion’ businesses I was delighted.

“There are many challenges we all face in our business but having the potential kudos of an award will certainly help in many ways.

“Sam and the team have made the application process very simple. All I can say is: ‘Nominate yourself now!'”

The deadline for nominations is midnight on Friday, November 30. There will be an awards ceremony in January to celebrate the business champions and those who are shortlisted.
​
Find out more and apply here – https://huddersfieldbid.co.uk/champions/

Huddersfield Civic Society has spoken out strongly against plans for BT to put digital screens around Huddersfield town centre.

We sent a news release to Huddersfield Hub and here's the story:

Plans to put several digital advertising display screens – or Street Hubs - around Huddersfield town centre have been met with a firm ‘no’ from Huddersfield Civic Society.

And advice from Kirklees Council to British Telecom before the tech giant submitted the proposals for six sites shows they are against them too.
The sites include New Street, Westgate, King Street, Ramsden Street and Trinity Street.

BT has submitted a total of 13 planning applications for the new Street Hubs, many of which would replace existing phone boxes.

The Street Hubs are just short of 10ft tall and around 4ft wide and will offer free public wi-fi, phone calls and device charging. The Hubs have 75-inch HD screens on either side which will display adverts.

The council has already refused one to replace phone boxes outside Huddersfield Bus Station in Upperhead Row, saying they would be distracting and harmful to road safety for both drivers and pedestrians.

In their objection HCS states: “These display units are not only contrary to the aim of protecting and improving Huddersfield Town Centre Conservation Area, but add unnecessary clutter to the street scene.

“At a time when improvements are being made to improve hard landscaping with appropriate materials - as has taken place along Dundas Street, Half Moon Street and St George’s Street - and plans are underway in connection with the town centre Blueprint, such units would be both unsightly and inappropriate.

“Huddersfield Town Centre Conservation Area is already classed as at risk by Historic England which describes the area as ‘very bad’ and ‘deteriorating.’

“Such signs can only exacerbate this issue and totally contradict the council's recognition and efforts to visually improve perceptions of the town.

“These applications must be refused as part of a developing programme to eliminate clutter from the high street.”

In one of the applications – for outside 43 Westgate, close to the bridge over Huddersfield Railway Station - the pre-application advice from Kirklees says: “Wholly unacceptable due to harm to the significance of the Huddersfield Town Centre Conservation Area and surrounding listed buildings at this important gateway site for which there has been significant public realm improvements in the very recent past.

“Any re-siting would result in unnecessary clutter which the recent works to public realm have sought to remove. The harm would include that to the siting of the nearby Grade I listed Huddersfield Railway Station and Grade II listed 12,14,16,18,20 St George’s Square.”

Another location is for the footpath opposite numbers 2 and 4 Ramsden Street. The pre-application advice states: “Adverse impact on setting of listed Town Hall and the adjacent Prudential Assurance Buildings, among other listed buildings, and harm to the significance of the Huddersfield Town Centre Conservation Area. Would result in unnecessary clutter in the wider public realm.

“There is already a two-sided advertisement display on the other side of the road. A recent proposal to upgrade this to a digital display was refused advertisement consent.”

Other applications include screens on a footpath outside the Piazza Shopping Centre on King Street; footpath next to 1 New Street close to the historic Market Place and the listed Market Cross; next to 106 New Street; next to 10 Trinity Street.

The pre-application advice for the Trinity Street one states: “Wholly unacceptable on the grounds of public safety.

“This footway forms an important route for students from Greenhead College to and from the town centre, including to the bus station. This unit would unacceptably reduce the width of the public footway.”
​
In response BT says: “The proposed advertisements on either side of the freestanding Street Hub units will result in an enhancement of the public realm by removing existing uncontrolled advertisements on existing BT payphones and replacing them within a single Street Hub of a sleek modern and innovative design, displaying advertisements of a modern appearance in keeping with its location.”

It’s one of Huddersfield’s most historic houses and a new book now reveals that it was built with love very much at the forefront of its famous architect’s mind.
 
Briarcourt at Lindley was designed by Edgar Wood, recognised as one of the country’s finest Arts and Crafts architects – a style which rebelled against the growing industrialisation of the late 1800s and early 1900s, looking back to a style using traditional craftsmen skills.
 
The architectural style which developed from Arts and Crafts had at its heart five main principles - clarity of form or structure, variety of materials, asymmetry, traditional construction and craftsmanship. Buildings were constructed using local materials and traditions.
 
Edgar Wood’s most famous landmark building in Huddersfield is the art nouveau clock tower in Lindley, but the Manchester-born architect’s first building he designed here was Briarcourt.
 
This imposing house set in its own grounds on Occupation Road began as a family home and over time has been a used as a care home for vulnerable children, older people and young people with special needs.
 
The new book, Briarcourt – The Story of a House with a Heart, has been published by Huddersfield Local History Society for the Edgar Wood Heritage Group (Yorkshire) with the support of the present owners, celebrating both the art and architecture of the house while touching on the lives of its past residents.
 
Briarcourt’s story started in 1894 with the purchase of land next to St Stephen’s vicarage on Occupation Road by John Sykes, head of card clothing manufacturer Joseph Sykes and Brothers.
 
John invited his cousin, Edgar Wood, (1860-1935) to design a house as a wedding present for his son Herbert Higginson Sykes and his wife Annie Eliza and this was reflected in Wood’s design.
 
A heart can be seen above the front door and other symbols of love are used throughout the house, including the Briar Rose. Wood not only designed the house but supervised every aspect of its decoration.
 
Briarcourt is now a home again and is being lovingly restored by current owners Vicky House and Duncan Morgan.
 
Vicky says: ‘When Dunc and I moved to Briarcourt nearly eight years ago we had no inkling of how well-loved this building is within the local community and what a rich history she holds. To be honest, we really knew very little about Edgar Wood and his amazing talents either. 
 
“We just fell in love with Briarcourt and knew we wanted to try our best to bring her a new lease of life after decades of institutional service and several years of lying empty had left their scars.”

The cost of building Briarcourt in around 1895 was in the region of £3,500 and in 1921 the house and grounds, which had both been significantly extended by then to include houses for servants and more than six acres of land, sold at auction for £7,425. 
 
For Vicky, the publication of the book has been a very special moment.
 
She adds: “Slowly helping the building reclaim a little more of her original Arts and Crafts spirit is an absolute privilege but the gift of developing such an intimate sense of the people who have lived and worked here over the last 125 years is beyond anything we could have ever imagined.
 
“This book stands as a testament to the Edgar Wood Heritage Group, the Edgar Wood Society, and all those who have shared something of their personal relationship with this place’s generosity of spirit, passion for Edgar Wood and commitment to keeping our local heritage alive.”

The house's gardens are now the base for community project Clem’s Garden.Many of its volunteers are people aged over 50 who don’t have children or grandchildren. That may be because they were unable to have children, didn’t have the opportunity, chose not to or have suffered the anguish of losing a child.

Vicky set the community interest company up after she lost her baby, Clem, in pregnancy in 2009.

The 30 volunteers grow flowers which they sell with the profits going to the One Community Foundation in Huddersfield which then gives grants to small charities and good causes. 

Vicky added: "We planted beds of beautifully scented roses we could use in our Clem's Garden bouquets as a modern-day nod to all the roses Edgar Wood weaved into the decor of the house."
 
The Briarcourt book is illustrated with both historic and contemporary illustrations and also includes a detailed tour of the house.
 
Briarcourt – The Story of a House with a Heart (ISBN 978-0-9929841-4-4, 72 pages, £10) is published by Huddersfield Local History Society for the Edgar Wood Heritage Group (Yorkshire). It can be bought through the Huddersfield Local History Society’s website for £2.25 p&p (https://www.huddersfieldhistory.org.uk/publications/) and is also available in local bookshops.
 
For more about the Edgar Wood Heritage Group (Yorkshire) go to
www.edgarwoodinYorkshire.co.uk

A major exhibition about the agonising search for the missing after the Holocaust is coming to Huddersfield.
 
The exhibition called Fate Unknown: The Search for the Missing after the Holocaust will be at the Holocaust Centre North which is in Schwann Building in the University of Huddersfield from November 9-23.
 
The exhibition has been organised by the Wiener Holocaust Library in London,  home to the UK’s International Tracing Service Digital Archive which holds millions of documents related to the Holocaust and Nazi era.
 
This exhibition tells the remarkable, little-known story of the search for the missing after the Holocaust. It considers the legacy of the search for descendants of those affected by World War Two and the impact of those who fate was never known.
By the end of the war millions of people had been murdered or displaced by war and genocide. Families and communities were torn apart. Many were missing and some people’s fates remain unclear to this day.
Despite immense logistical challenges, a number of charities such as the British Red Cross Society and the Jewish Relief Unit attempted to help find missing people and reunite families. Their efforts came together what became known as the International Tracing Service.  
The exhibition is free and anyone is welcome to see it.  
 
On Wednesday, November 23, there will be a family history workshop at Holocaust Centre North from 3.30pm to 5.30pm to give people advice on how to navigate the International Tracing Service Digital Archive and explore how use it for your own research. It will be led by The Wiener Holocaust Library’s ITS archive team manager Elise Bath and Holocaust Centre North’s archivist Hari Jonkers.
 
The workshop is free but people wanting to attend must register at
https://wienerholocaustlibrary.org/event/postgraduate-and-family-history-workshop/
 
Immediately after this event at Holocaust Centre North there will be a talk from 6pm to 8pm by Dr Christine Schmidt and Professor Dan Stone who curated the exhibition Fate Unknown: The Search for the Missing after the Holocaust.
 
To register for this talk go to https://wienerholocaustlibrary.org/event/fate-unknown-the-search-for-the-missing-after-the-holocaust-curators-talk-and-drinks-reception/

Huddersfield Civic Society members Geoff Hughes and Paul Jackson are concerned about historic railway coal chutes at risk of being damaged or falling into total ruin at Hillhouse.

They acted on behalf of HCS after discovering that Network Rail was applying for a planning order for it to protect the chutes during construction of a temporary railway station at Fartown to be lifted as they have put a fence next to them.

Here is the HCS planning response on the Kirklees Council planning website at https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/planning-applications/search-for-planning-applications/filedownload.aspx?application_number=2022/92438&file_reference=950131

Below is the full story behind the chutes and why Geoff and Paul are battling to save them

The coal chutes are thought to be the last of their kind in the UK … and the fear is part of Huddersfield’s railway heritage could be lost forever.

There are 40 Grade II-listed coal chutes next to the railway line on Alder Road in Hillhouse which used to look very imposing but have virtually vanished behind overgrown trees in recent years.

They were built by the London & North Western Railway (LNWR) for the Huddersfield Corporation Tramways to take coal direct to mills.

Now Huddersfield Civic Society fears they could be in jeopardy as a temporary station will be built there while the main Huddersfield Railway Station undergoes a radical transformation as part of the £1.4bn project between now and 2029 to rebuild the Huddersfield to Westtown, Dewsbury, section of the Trans-Pennine rail route.

The main station will shut for two 32-day periods in 2024 and 2025 while major work is done to the interior and the station will effectively move to Alder Street between Hillhouse and Fartown where the site is already being prepared for the temporary station.

Network Rail is responsible for the chutes and when planning permission was granted for the temporary station one of the conditions was that they should take measures to protect the coal chutes during the construction phase. They installed a 2.4m-high steel palisade metal fence above the chutes next to the construction site and now say this condition has been met.

But HCS thinks the fence won’t be enough with all the vehicles using the site and the amount of earth-moving and construction going on there and that more should be done to protect the chutes.  

Huddersfield Civic Society thinks the old chutes are such an important part of Huddersfield’s history they should not only be protected, but made into a feature.

Geoff Hughes says: “We are disappointed at the continuing deterioration of this historic site by a combination of neglect and tree roots and ask that more substantive steps are taken to restore the site to good condition beyond Network Rail just maintaining the existing barrier fence against the new major work site.” 

Paul Jackson adds: “Each chute originally had a geared mechanism operated by a chain or lever to open up the coal store and allow the coal to drop down the chute into a waiting coal tram or wagon and you can still see the tram rails there.
 
“Many of the wooden frames have collapsed and the mechanisms such as geared wheels, pinions and axles, together with the chutes, have collapsed into the bottom of the construction. Many may have gone to scrap while others hide in the overgrowth. There are, however, a number of the chutes which are currently complete and intact.”
 
This site is unique in that besides the 40 LNWR coal drops there remain intact the lines of the 1904 to 1934 Huddersfield Corporation coal tramway service.

This service was provided by two special 10-ton coal trams which ran on the Huddersfield Corporation tramlines to three textile mills, including Marsh Mills in Marsh. The coal tram service ended in 1934 when the Outlane tram route was closed and converted to trolleybuses.
 
In its objection to the planning request from Network Rail, HCS states: “HCS is not aware of any more complete remaining coal chutes anywhere in the UK and notes that a much smaller - and far less complete - set of chutes in Halifax, which are now separate from any surviving rail infrastructure, has recently been afforded more maintenance with a view to long-term preservation by public authorities.
 
“HCS contends that, while helpful, this fencing alone is by woefully inadequate as a means of protecting a valuable set of historic structures.”
HCS wants:

• A survey of the current state of all the coal drops by a competent professional authority.
• Basic maintenance of all the drops - especially removal of trees and roots currently causing local deterioration - during the coming months.
• Regular checks on the drops during construction of the temporary railway station and full restitution in the event of any damage being found

It adds: “We see the long-term preservation of the coal drops, adjoining tramway and other historic remains as valuable to long-term use of this site long after the railway project completes.

“By the 2030s employees, residents and visitors to the area should be able to see Huddersfield’s historic rail story at this site from the Victorian and Edwardian industry through to the modern railway.”

​Report from Huddersfield Civic Society chairman David Wyles.
​
Here is a round-up of what Huddersfield Civic Society is working on at the moment, including events and major planning issues.
 
We’ll start with events.
 
Events

Helping Yorkshire’s Fragile Churches. A presentation by Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust at 6.30 for 7pm start on Thursday, October 13 at Holy Trinity Church, Trinity Street, Huddersfield.
 
An illustrated presentation by the Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust, formed in 1988, which provides grants to Christian churches of any denomination or age, listed or unlisted, and used for public worship within Yorkshire.
 
Trustee Dr Jane Crease and Sylvia Johnson, Chair of Grant Committee and Trustee, will reveal the work of the Trust and how it operates. The evening begins with a cup of tea or coffee served from 6.30pm and a welcome to Holy Trinity Church by their architect Stuart Beaumont, of One 17 Design. It costs £3 per person for Huddersfield Civic Society members and £5 for non-members.

Payment can be made directly to Huddersfield Civic Society: Account No. 50525022; Sort Code 20-43-04; Ref: YHCT + your surname or at the door on the evening.
 
Afternoon visit to Woodsome Hall, Sunday, October 30 at 2pm

Philip Sands, will walk through 800 years of history at one of the area’s most historic houses, Woodsome Hall, a grade 1 listed building. The tour is free to HCS members and one guest but numbers will be limited to 30. To book contact Michael Barron via email at mj.barron@btinternet.com or phone 01484 537080.
Address: Woodsome Hall Golf Club, Woodsome Road, Fenay Bridge, Huddersfield HD8 OL
 
Improving walking and cycling routes in Huddersfield, 10am until lunchtime on Saturday, November 5, New North Road Baptist Church, New North Parade, Huddersfield.
 
This free conference, organised by HCS and Cycle Kirklees, will discuss how the new government organisation Active Travel England will support and provide funding for improvements to walking and cycling initiatives. The focus will be to discuss Active Travel in and around Huddersfield and how these can be best delivered. There will be speakers from West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Sustrans, Kirklees Council and Huddersfield Ramblers, among others. A full agenda will be published in early October.



Discover Huddersfield Trails and Walks Programme 2022

Following four very successful walks during Kirklees Heritage Open Days, only three walks in the current season remain to be enjoyed. On Sunday, October 2, Natalie Pinnock Hamilton and Heather Norris Nicholson will explore key locations associated with Huddersfield’s African Caribbean community.
 
HCS chairman David Wyles will be leading a walk on October 16 revealing architectural decoration from the late Georgian period to the 1930s and, as a fitting end to the season, the popular Shuddersfield Halloween Walk on Sunday, October 30, led by Rebecca Winwood, uncovers ghost stories and horrible happenings and is suitable for children aged 9+.

Bookings for each walk will be available via Eventbrite no more than 14 days before each walk. To view all the year’s walks, go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/discover-huddersfield-guided-walks-programme-2022-120689.

Walks cost £4 per person and usually last between 90 minutes and 2 hours.

Town Centre Blueprint

A further meeting between members of the HCS Executive Committee and consultants Feilden, Clegg, Bradley Studios allowed us to see in greater detail the essential elements of the Cultural Heart proposals. This was followed by further public consultation. Subject to Cabinet go ahead, a planning application for the development is likely to be submitted in early October.

As previously mentioned, although we support the very thorough work carried out by the consultants and the broad intentions for the provision of new library, museum, art gallery, refurbishment of the market hall and events space, questions remain over elements such as car parking capacity, the events ‘arena’, the relationship with the rest of the town, particularly its retail heart, and a satisfactory revenue budget to deal with maintenance, security and upkeep of both open spaces and buildings.

Planning and Enforcement Issues

There has been a number of issues that raise growing concerns regarding the speed taken in relation to enforcement action on illegal work, protection of listed buildings and response to development proposals. Here are just a few that the HCS Executive Committee has been involved with recently.

11 Greenhead Road: removal of large and inappropriate signage on listed building.

Former Neaversons shop, 4 Byram Street, Huddersfield: A listed shop frontage reflecting the very best in the modern style of the 1930s. The sans serif lettering was removed by the new tenant and, despite action by Kirklees Council, has not yet been put back, although it is understood it has not been destroyed.

Fell Greave at Brackenhall: Concern over marquee and groundworks. This development has no planning permission and appears to have been used for wedding receptions and other events. It was brought to our notice by a local resident and the issue has also been taken up by Barry Sheerman MP.

In questions posed to Kirklees Council’s enforcement team, HCS colleague Geoff Hughes asked: “How was this marquee - and the events that have taken place in it – been allowed to continue for much of this year, given we understand that concern has long been voiced by local residents regarding planning matters, the dumping of waste material, large-scale vehicle access and parking, noise, disturbance etc? Will the council demand that the following are undertaken: removal of the marquee, removal of all infrastructure, restoration of the landscape by removal of all material dumped?”
 
HCS has delayed releasing its own statement on this matter but has, this week, received a helpful update from Kirklees Enforcement team. We will continue to monitor the situation.

Former Huddersfield Infirmary on Trinity Street
 
I don’t know how many times HCS has commented upon this but the Huddersfield Examiner recently revealed what we have suspected all along.

The investment company who obtained permission for the former college site, despite officers’ recommendations to refuse it, has now announced its intention to finalise the contract for a Lidl supermarket to be built and sell the remaining land.

This, in fact, means there is no short-term prospect for the restoration and re-use of the former infirmary which, unless urgent action is taken, will fall into even further disrepair. How acute this sad tale is, with its inference of failings from the time Kirklees put this site on the market for sale, is reflected in an excellent article in the latest edition of Private Eye – a rare if sad reflection on our town.

Sorry to be cynical but at the Planning Committee which gave its blessing to this in February, the permission was based partly on the idea that ‘substantive improvements’ had been demonstrated.

Well, folks, we’re going to get a new Lidl to replace the one a few hundred yards along the road. Whoopee!
 
LNWR Coal Chutes on Alder Street
 
HCS member Paul Jackson recently brought to our attention the deteriorating condition of one of Huddersfield’s most unusual, listed structures – the coal chutes at Alder Street.
 
Paul initiated the listing of these structures 20 years ago and they now lie on land owned by Network Rail and part of the trans Pennine rail upgrade construction site.
 
Paul says: “This row of more than 20 LNWR coal chutes is nationally unique in having most of the mechanisms intact together with a Huddersfield corporation tramway connection laid in the yard. Each chute originally had a geared mechanism operated by a chain or lever to open up the coal store and allow the coal to drop down the chute into a waiting coal tram or wagon. Unfortunately, many of the chutes are collapsing with only about 10 intact.”
 
Network Rail has requested discharge of the condition intended to protect these structures, but HCS has submitted comments requesting that, before the condition is discharged, a survey is undertaken of the current condition of the coal drops, basic maintenance (especially removal of trees and roots) is undertaken during the coming months and regular checks are carried out during Network Rail’s construction period. It is hoped the means will be found to restore at least some of the chutes as part of the town’s important industrial and railway heritage.
 
Local Developers’ Consortium
 
HCS President Bernard Ainsworth and I were pleased to be invited to a recent meeting to discuss the frustrations and challenges faced by local developers, their architects and agents, in dealing with and receiving responses from Kirklees Planning Department. 
 
Concerns were very well articulated, focussing on the challenge for Kirklees to improve response times, the need for face-to-face discussions and a much greater understanding of design issues and the commercial difficulties faced by local development companies in comparison with volume house builders.
 
HCS is aware that Kirklees is keen to see a range of residential opportunities develop within the inner areas of Huddersfield. The difficulties and delays being experienced by local developers/builders in their current engagement with Kirklees planning department will cause those same parties to avoid any emerging opportunities as ‘not worth the effort.’
 
The consortium is holding a meeting with key Kirklees officers on October 21 to outline its concerns and a request for equally clear and precise responses on how planning officers will provide greater flexibility and direct contact to resolve issues at a much earlier stage in the planning process.