Revised £30m George Hotel plans approved
Kirklees Council has greenlit proposals for the Huddersfield establishment after it underwent a redesign in order to drive down project costs, which had the added bonus of increasing the number of rooms from 91 to 108.
The changes came about once it was discovered that the John William Street wall would need to undergo costly works to make it safe, leading architect AHR to suggest a demolition of the wall with a newly built extension.
This change of layout allowed for more bedrooms, which increases the hotel’s potential profitability.
Owned by the council, Radisson Red is lined up as operator and at a recent council meeting cllr Graham Turner, cabinet member for finance and regeneration, confirmed that they are still keen to go ahead despite delays.
The professional team includes MAC Construction Consultants, Adept, and Waldeck. Queensberry is project managing, with GMI installed as main contractor.
The council has now committed close to £30m to the project, which is being brought forward in tandem with the nearby Our Cultural Heart scheme in the town centre.
It is hoped they will be mutually beneficial, in both boosting the town’s offering and providing a high-quality option for tourists to stay in.
The council is now expecting the new hotel to open within the next two years.
I would love to see the George Hotel restored to its former glory, but I am strongly opposed to destruction of the facade and the fact that the
Victorian Society’s concerns have been ignored doesn’t bode well. I suspect that the parties involved in this project are in it for the wrong
reasons and will create an expensive mess. I also think that Radisson will run for the hills when they realise that their guests (if they had any) wouldn’t
be safe after dark in the town centre. A hundred years ago it might have been very pleasant to take an evening stroll down John William Street and
around St Peters Gardens, but now it would be just plain stupid. Anyone who thinks that Kirklees Council (or the Police) will improve the are deluded.
deluded.
I really wish I could be more positive, but I actually KNOW Huddersfield. I understand the town’s cultural heritage and I can recognise an ill-conceived plan to grease palms when I see it. No offence, like.
By Kate Garside