Bold new vision for Halifax: Town hall chiefs to discuss health, housing and prosperity
The vision is part of Calderdale Council's Vision 34 ambition
Hello and welcome to the first Calderdale Lead of 2026!
Firstly, a happy new year to you - I hope you enjoyed the festive period and you’ve made a cracking start to 2026.
Secondly, apologies for the radio silence over the last week. The lurgy that has been doing the rounds well and truly floored me for a few days.
But we’re back now and we’ve got what I hope you’ll think is a very positive newsletter for today.
We look at Calderdale’s bold new vision for Halifax and what it means for residents and businesses in the town.
Plus, we’ve got some other positive nuggets in our Calderdale Digest!
Because it’s January, we’re offering 50% off a paid subscription to The Calderdale Lead. Independent journalism is hard to come by these days, and this is the best way to support what I do and make sure I can keep doing it. You can look at the offer here.
So, on with today’s edition…
Calderdale Digest
🚲Council bosses are to discuss ways to make it easier and safer to walk, wheel and cycle in Elland.
Better connections to the proposed new Elland Rail Station are planned as part of an ‘access package’ including two new pedestrian and cycle bridges crossing the River Calder and the Calder and Hebble Navigation, and improvements to pedestrian routes, public spaces and the cycle network.
Constructing a new pedestrian bridge will create links from the area north of the River Calder, whilst also creating a direct link to the Route 66 cycleway and towpath. From West Vale, a second bridge will connect people to the Route 66 cycleway, providing connections into Elland and a continuous route to the proposed rail station.
In November 2025, the Secretary of State gave the Council formal permission to acquire the land through a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO). This enables construction of the improvement scheme, following detailed conversations and negotiations with landowners and a period of public engagement, in which people showed strong support for the new station and access package.
At the Council’s Cabinet meeting on Monday, councillors will be asked to approve the next steps to action the CPO and acquire the land needed for construction.
⚽Manchester United legend Gary Neville paid a visit to Halifax last week to eat at one of the town’s popular restaurants.
Neville, who knows a thing about hospitality himself, stopped by Ricci’s Place, on Crossley Street, on Friday for some grub.
The restaurant posted a photo of the football legend with one of its team and posted: “Pleasure to have Gary Neville visit us again, we hope you loved the lamb ragu and gnocchi special.”
It’s not the first time ex-England international Neville - now a successful pundit and podcaster - has visited Ricci’s Place.
He was spotted at the eatery in June.
Bold new 10-year vision for Halifax set to be approved by council chiefs
By Andrew Greaves
Calderdale town hall chiefs are set to approve a bold 10-year plan to transform Halifax as part of what is being dubbed the Halifax 2036 Place Vision.
This sets out an ambitious way forward for the town centre over the next 10 years, building on its strengths to create an even more vibrant, inclusive and resilient place.
The council says the vision is shaped by what local people and organisations have said is important to them.
It also identifies actions to support Calderdale Council’s priorities for thriving towns and places, to reduce inequalities and to take action to tackle climate change.
The vision will be used to direct future investment in the town, and to help organisations and communities work together to bid for future grants. This ensures that regenerating the town is a joint approach and meets everyone’s needs.
Cllr Jane Scullion, Calderdale Council’s leader, said: “Halifax is a place of innovation and business, rich culture and heritage, strong local pride and community spirit, and it’s already benefitting from an exciting time of unprecedented investment to help make life better for everyone.
“And it was named the fifth happiest place to live in Yorkshire by Rightmove recently!”
The Place Vision sets out a number of objectives of what council bosses want Halifax to be. These include:
An innovative, creative and enterprising town: maximising the town’s economic growth through its can-do attitude.
An accessible town: making it easier and healthier to get around the town.
A liveable town: increasing access to good-quality homes, jobs, opportunities and services.
A healthy, happy and hopeful town: creating a place that people enjoy and where they feel safe, secure, happy and truly at home.
A historic and cultural town: building on its existing profile as a cultural, heritage and filming destination to benefit the whole community and attract more visitors, future residents and investors.
A green and resilient town: bringing more green spaces and nature into the heart of the town to boost health, wellbeing and climate resilience.
The Halifax-specific plan is part of the council’s Vision 34 for Calderdale which asked residents what they wanted the borough to look and feel like in 2034.
More than 1,000 people have helped shape that vision and Cllr Scullion said she believes the Halifax plan plays into that.
She said: “The 2036 Place Vision embraces all of this and uses it as the starting point to create an even stronger future where everyone thrives, in vibrant communities, where businesses can grow, people live healthy, fulfilled lives and feel supported, and we protect our environment.
“It’s about being proud of our past, and even more excited about what’s to come. A town where together, we get things done. This is what builds a thriving town, place and economy.”
The 2036 Place Vision will be discussed the council’s Cabinet meeting on Monday.
That’s it for this edition, thanks for reading.
Don’t forget you can get in touch by leaving a comment here or by emailing calderdale@thelead.uk.
Until Sunday, have a great week!
Andrew