‘I’m a bit flabbergasted’
COUNCILLOR’S CONCERN AS HOTEL SCHEME APPROVED UNCHALLENGED
MULTI-MILLION pound refurbishment plans for Huddersfield’s George Hotel have been approved, seven months after senior figures on Kirklees Council confirmed that officers were in behind-the-scenes talks with the owner .
But the news has left some people scratching their heads and wondering why such a “sensitive and significant” scheme was not presented to committee for debate.
Clr Andrew Cooper, the leader of the Green group on the council and whose Newsome ward includes Huddersfield town centre, said he was “flabbergasted.”
A council spokesman advised that the hotel plan did not go to the planning committee for debate as it “did not meet the requirements.”
He went on: “Not all applications need to go to committee. It depends on the type or scale of the application.”
Commenting on the decision to grant planning permission for development, Clr Cooper called for greater transparency on discussions.
“By the nature of the application this should have gone to committee. It’s a significant building in the centre of St George’s Square. It’s strange. “I am a bit flabbergasted. “Planning is one of those areas that the council are quite sensitive about.
“People often assume that underhand things are going on.
“The council should operate in a very transparent manner when dealing with planning matters, particularly very sensitive ones like the George Hotel.
“It’s poor public relations at best and bad practice at worst.
“A lot of the time I have to work out whether it’s a cock-up or a conspiracy.
“It would be good if things were open so that people were left in no doubt about what was going on with some of our most iconic buildings in the town centre.”
Huddersfield-based architects Acumen, who are working for owner Dr Altaf Hussein, said building work could begin by December – with the hotel refurbished and open in time for the Rugby League World Cup in 2021.
Plans include changing the hotel, which has been closed since 2013, into 50 apart-hotel rooms with bar, museum and spa.
The sign-off follows an announcement in February that secret meetings were under way to try and save the George from falling further into dereliction.
Clr Naheed Mather, Cabinet member for Greener Kirklees, said the council was supportive of “a deliverable scheme.”
In the months since, Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman has mooted that the building could be compulsorily purchased and encouraged the council to buy the site.