Focus of Hill will move from history to eatery
I got a fine once when I dropped my daughter off at work. Left car park, then picked her up again eight hours later. I called at Wickes on way home in morning and bought a sink and cooker hood and had the receipt proving it. I ... also pointed out why I would walk 1/4 mile to Wickes from car park buy a cooker hood and sink then carry it back to car, when Wickes had a car park of their own? Needless to say I received a reply informing me my fine had been withdrawn.
AS an Almondbury ward councillor I have many reservations about the latest plans for the development at Castle Hill.
The updated proposal leads me to believe that the likely outcome of the much reduced car park will lead to the car park being almost exclusively for the hotel/restaurant at peak times.
This will lead to cars being packed at the foot of the hill, where the roads are narrow and would be potentially dangerous.
I feel that the focus of the hill for many will become the restaurant and bar as opposed to the significant and important site. Additionally visitors travelling to the site with the specific aim of wishing to climb up the Tower on an open day may not be able to gain access to the car park, as it would be likelier to be busier so they may find themselves being turned away, as the access road is to be managed.
It is not clear how school buses and coaches will safely navigate the access road in order for visits to the information centre.
In comparison to the age of this ancient historical site, this venture proposes a transient amenity, yet we are faced with contemplating a planning application that is detrimental to the iconic status of this hill, detrimental to our heritage, detrimental to the environment as a result of a potential increase in visitors journeying to the site and damage to the natural habitat.
I seriously question if it will be worth it!
Harry mustn’t bite the hand that feeds
THE Royals are in the news.
Underwriting family’s royal wealth are: the Duchy of Lancaster (established by King Henry III in 1265, according to Wikipedia) for the Sovereign, and the Duchy of Cornwall (established by King Edward III in 1337) for the Prince of Wales and his family.
The Duchies’ accounts are online – and show assets worth £500m for Lancaster’s 20,000 hectares of land, of which one third is in Yorkshire; and £1bn for Cornwall’s 50,000 hectares of land, principally Dartmoor.
The Sovereign’s lands in Yorkshire include Harrogate Stray along with the castles in Pontefract and Pickering and the annual financial surplus tops £20m - on which Queen Elizabeth II voluntarily pays income tax.
The Prince of Wales’ Duchy of Cornwall had a revenue surplus of £25m last year – more than the Sovereign, on which the Duchy does NOT pay corporation tax – the assets are passed on down the hereditary line and overseen by the Chancellor of The Duchy of Lancaster – currently Michael Gove.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, who is said to recieve £2m annually from his Dad, would surely be wise not to bite the hand that feeds him and his family?
Planning permission must be refused
THE Thandi brothers now want a hotel on the top of Castle Hill.
They ignored planning last time.
Kirklees Council should and must refuse planning permission because of their own values.
Fireworks are banned because of what they claim is the balance between the protection of wildlife and eco system. Allowing building work on the ancient site yet again will do serious harm to both.
I wouldn’t trust the Planning Department either, if they are having secret meetings behind closed doors.
No doubt appeals to the Secretary of State will take place in order to stop the ruination of Castle Hill
The only thing the Thandis are thinking of is profit.
Don’t build.