Plans submitted for new Georgian mansion at Gomersal Hall

The application would see the home at Gomersal Hall in Oxford Road, Gomersal, removed and replaced with a huge new mansion-style home, along with a new granny annexe, office and refurbishment of other buildings on the site.

A large home has existed on the Gomersal Hall site since the early 1800s, but has since been demolished and replaced on two occasions, most recently in the late 20th Century when the property currently on the site was constructed.

The new plans would see this building removed and a new “manor house” created, along with a granny annexe, garage and office block, and an outdoor store in place of existing outbuildings, and the refurbishment of the existing derelict gatehouse to create a separate home.

The plans, submitted to Kirklees Council, say the new home, if approved, would "restore the site to its former glory" with a manor house "more befitting the name Gomersal Hall".

If approved, the new home would be a “classical, Georgian” style mansion. It replaces plans that were approved last year to build seven homes on the two-hectare site, with the application saying this would be “more appropriate development reflective of the history of the site”.

The current red brick home at Gomersal Hall which would be demolished to make way for a new mansion

While not a listed building or site, the hall does stand within Gomersal Conservation Area so any work must preserve of enhance the area’s character.

The earliest detailed map of the area, from 1847-51, shows the existence of Gomersal Hall, but by 1894 this had been demolished and replaced with a new hall on the site, with further changes to the site’s layout between 1908 and 1922.

That hall was then also demolished in the late 20th Century and replaced with the home that stands today, which doesn’t match the style of the remaining outbuildings – being made of red brick rather than stone.

In the plans, the new hall would be of a more classical design similar to other grand buildings in the Gomersal Conservation Area, built from stone with slate roof tiles and “Georgian style sash windows”.

The gatehouse at Gomersal Hall is currently derelict and falling apart, it would be fully restored under the plans

The roof would also have integrated solar panels and rainwater harvesting facilities, with a heat pump also installed to make the home more environmentally friendly.

It states the new home would have many classical features “such as plinths, quoins, parapet walls and columns… more befitting of the title Gomersal Hall than the existing house”.

The new manor would feature on the ground floor an entrance hall, library, formal lounge, gym, indoor swimming pool, steam room, sauna, toilet and shower room, dining room with adjoining wine room, dog room, an open plan kitchen-dining room with “secret access” to the pantry, a snug, entertainment room and double garage.

The first floor would comprise of four double-bedrooms with en-suites, with walk in wardrobes, a seating area, utility and roof terrace with hot tub in the master suite. It also includes two studies and a cinema room, with a further double bedroom with en-suite, snug, storage and server room on the second floor, while in the basement would be a games room.

A new access road would also be constructed into the Hall grounds from West Lane, with the current entrance closed off to vehicles.

In conclusion, the plans state: “The existing detached house is of no architectural merit and will make way for a new statement residence more befitting of this site and its history.

“The outbuildings will also be renovated as part of the works including the currently derelict gatehouse lodge.

“The proposals will therefore improve the quality of the Gomersal Conservation Area, restoring this site to its former glory.”