Following is the text of the objection made by the Chamber of Trade to the application 2023/62/93495/E for a hotel to be built on the car park of Yorkshire House.
I write to object to this application on behalf of 35 business owners and other members of Dewsbury Chamber of Trade having interests in Dewsbury.We are aware that objections have been made in detail by others and the Chamber supports all such objections as reflecting:
- the low standard of accommodation being offered,
- the neglect by the applicant of detailed planning requirements,
- the historic record of poor property management by the applicant as evidenced by their past record with Yorkshire House
- the minimal level of 'hotel' service this proposal offers to the public.
- the risk created to the long term plans for Dewsbury
We regard these as having a negative impact on the character of the area due to the demographic that the proposal is clearly designed to attract and;
that the proposal is in direct conflict with the aims of the long established Strategic Development Framework, the Blueprint, the Town Investment Plan and Long Term Plan for Dewsbury which call for an improvement in the quality of accommodation and the environment in the Daisy Hill area to which this proposal is adjacent.
The plans provided showing only the smallest possible single rooms. Despite the connecting doors this demonstrates that the applicants target market is single users on a low income, quite contrary to the councils strategic objective of attracting new residents with disposable income to this quarter of the town. Visitors with disposable income looking to move to or to invest in Dewsbury are more likely to be deterred by the standard offered rather than encouraged.
A hotel is intended to provide accommodation for travelers who are most likely to be users of the car or train. The minimal level of car parking does not match the description of the hotel leaving only those traveling by bus or on foot as potential customers. Any argument that this hotel is intended to serve the bus station is not credible as, in practice, any hotel users are most unlikely to travel by bus.
Dewsbury is, indeed, in need of genuine hotel accommodation to support both tourism and the business community. Had the applicant converted Yorkshire House into a hotel with car parking available it is likely that this would have received our support. However, adding more low standard, low cost barrack room accommodation connected to the existing poor standards and management of Yorkshire House does not match the long term plans of the council nor the aspirations of the people of Dewsbury to see an improvement in the social fabric of this area of town.
Similarly, and to repeat our previous objection, neither the applicant nor the council can assume that the properties will remain in his ownership and building over the car park removes any flexibility for future owners of the property to adapt to any new circumstances that may arise.
The application can only increase the number of single, low income users in the town centre. If the long term cost of the rooms is less than or the same as a single resident might pay for a one bed flat then it could easily fill up with semi permanent residents and become a low cost, residential hostel rather than any pretence of being a viable hotel.
The application is for a 'hotel' which we presume to be Use Class C1 (Hotels). We note that there is provision for change of use in this category. Should the council feel obliged to grant approval despite local objections then we must ask that conditions are attached such that:
- no change of use will be allowed in future.
- the applicant should not be enabled to bid for block bookings by or on behalf of government agencies
Paul Ellis
President
Dewsbury Chamber of Trade
28 July 2024