Questions have been raised over plans for a Community Interest Company to run a proposed visitor attraction at Castle Hill.

A planning application has been submitted by The Thandi Partnership for a visitor centre, café, restaurant, bar and six bedrooms which will include free-to-access toilets and exhibitions about Castle Hill, along with a specialist learning room for children.

The plan is for the development to be run as a Community Interest Company (CIC) but Huddersfield Civic Society questions if this will be viable.

The Thandi Partnership says the Castle Hill CIC will include representatives from local community groups, heritage professionals and ‘council stakeholders’ so all decisions and operations serve the wider public interest.

In its June 2025 Executive Summary document drawn up as part of the planning process, The Thandi Partnership states: “The governance structure is collaborative and inclusive, ensuring that no single entity or individual controls the CIC and that community benefit remains at the heart of everything it does.

“The CIC is structured for long-term public benefit with clear oversight, transparency and accountability built into its operations.

“This ensures Castle Hill will be maintained and protected well into the future, with profits helping to fund free access, local jobs and cultural programming.

“This ensures the centre is financially sustainable, community-focused and aligned with the goals of Kirklees Council and Historic England.”

The report adds: “This is not a commercial development, but a community hub. Financial risk is mitigated through phased development, long-term forecasting and expert oversight.”

As yet, it is not known exactly who would be part of the CIC.

The aim is for the development to make money mainly from the restaurant, coffee shop, bar and café with extra revenue from the gift shop, guidebooks, accommodation and vending machines.

The opening hours for the visitor centre would be 9am to 5pm every day with the restaurant and bar open into the evenings.

The Executive Summary says the overnight rooms built underground “will provide affordable accommodation for researchers, families and educational partners.”

Although it will cost £3.75m to build, the projected revenue would only be £200,000 in the first year rising to £226,848 a year after three years with at least 65% of net profit reinvested into site upkeep and community benefit.

It’s estimated the development would create between 30 and 35 jobs.

The summary also promises “significant improvements to on-site infrastructure, including upgrades to the access road, footpaths, car park, steps and public areas.”

It also says the development will make Castle Hill safer.

“The scheme will enhance site security through the installation of a 24/7 monitored CCTV and the presence of a dedicated night porter.

“These combined measures will help address a range of current and ongoing issues that have affected the site including theft, vandalism, anti-social behaviour, drug misuse, littering, fly-tipping, arson, graffiti and indecent behaviour.”

Historic England had opposed the development but has since changed its mind. The organisation has issued an updated statement about why it now backs the proposal.

It says: “We are not objecting to the scheme as we believe the visitor centre has the potential to deliver public benefits that would help balance the low level of harm the scheme is considered to cause to the significance of the monument.

“We have recommended that Kirklees Council independently assess the business plan for the visitor centre to ensure that the delivery of these public benefits is viable, deliverable and sustainable before making their decision on planning approval.

“Should approval be granted, the applicant would still have to gain Scheduled Monument Consent prior to the commencement of any work on the site.”

Huddersfield Civic Society (HCS) has firmly backed this request by Historic England that Kirklees Council should commission an independent report of The Thandi Partnership’s business plan and that the Partnership pays for it.

HCS states: “We commend Historic England on requesting the review. Is a CIC even the right business model for the Castle Hill visitors’ centre given the facilities it is proposing?

“Would it meet the public interest test? We can only know if the business case and independent review are published.

“HCS hope the terms of reference are broad and detailed. Have any consultations by the CIC with the communities affected taken place?

“How will the CIC operate to address and maintain a long-term viable organisation? This should include its business relationship to the building owners and lease holders, along with any financial forecasts.

“The executive summary of the CIC business case was very light on detail or convincing arguments. It leaves more questions than answers which we hope can be incorporated into the independent review.

“We would like to see this open to the public and not hidden behind commercial confidentiality rules. After all, the CIC is for the benefit of the community.”

Historic England had previously been against the proposal but this month says it now has no objection to the application on heritage grounds.

HCS says Kirklees planning should now re-open the consultation period in light of this shift in position.

“We request that this material change in Historic England’s position after the end of the formal consultation period should mean that the consultation period itself needs to be kept open in order for others to re-comment,” says HCS.

“We stress the importance of a rigorous assessment of the business case and think it should be open to the public to comment, given it is a CIC.

“HCS is dubious about the financial viability of the (quite small) visitor element and question what would happen in the event of its, quite possible, financial failure.

“If this is approved there is no going back. The consequence and harm may be with the district for a long time to come and so we as a community need to be sure the decisions being made are the best one for the site and Kirklees, if not the country.”

It is understood that brothers Mick and Barry Thandi, who were originally involved in The Thandi Partnership, are no longer involved and Indy Thandi is now reported to be the managing partner.

Huddersfield Hub has been unable to contact Indy Thandi and there was no response to a request made via his agents.

Written by ANDY HIRST who runs his own Yorkshire freelance journalism agency AH! PR (https://ah-pr.com/) specialising in press releases, blogging, website content, copywriting and ghost-writing autobiographies.

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