Council chief hails new era as work underway on new 'first-class' leisure centre in Halifax
New multi-million pound centre is due to be open by 2027
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Calderdale Digest
🚧Flood alleviation work to stop erosion of a river bank should start next autumn, if a business case for it to go ahead is approved.
Fast flowing water causes the ongoing scouring issue at Back Waterloo, which is part of the Walsden Water system at Shade, between the village and Todmorden town centre.
The EA wants to mitigate the damage by using a series of mini weirs in the channel to slow the water’s flow.
Flood programme partners heard the project is now moving to preparation of a full business case – if approved, the goal is to start construction of these in Autumn 2026.
“Temporary works modelling is under way and the team are getting into contract with our design consultants Arup to progress to full business case,” Calderdale Flood Recovery and Resilience Programme Board were told.
🏠Calderdale has more “singletons” among its Council Tax paying citizens than other similar local authorities, new figures show.
But they are also being put under the microscope as part of a council audit review.
According to the figures, Calderdale has 38,547 households who receive a 25 per cent single person discount on their Council Tax.
This discount is given to those who live on their own.
Councillors were told this was a higher number than in other similar local authorities at almost 40 per cent of all households.
Audit officers are checking whether those who qualify for this Council Tax discount are getting it.
But the council is also working with a third party software supplier to “cleanse and match” data from multiple council systems to identify where the discount may not be applicable, the council’s Audit Committee heard.
End of an era as demolition of old Halifax leisure centre well underway
By Andrew Greaves
Work to clear the way for Halifax’s new multi-million-pound leisure centre is now well underway, with large sections of the old North Bridge Leisure Centre being demolished.
Calderdale Council says the project – which will deliver a modern leisure complex and new swimming facilities – is progressing as planned.
Contractors are currently stripping out the interior of the building before excavators move in to bring the remaining structure down to ground level and remove its foundations.
As part of the council’s climate commitments, much of the masonry and concrete from the demolition will be processed on-site and reused in the new build. The existing sports hall is being kept and refurbished.
The new Halifax Leisure Centre will include:
A 120-station fitness suite, three multi-function studios and a dedicated spinning studio
An eight-court sports hall
A 25-metre six-lane swimming pool with spectator seating, and a learner pool with a viewing and seating area
A Changing Places facility
Wellbeing spaces
A soft play and adventure area for children
A café and community area
Energy-efficient, sustainable features to contribute to Calderdale’s Climate Action Plan and target for net zero carbon emissions by 2038.
The council is working with contractor Tilbury Douglas on the detailed design, demolition and construction phases.
Council leader Cllr Jane Scullion, who visited the site this week, said the work marked “the end of an era” for the former leisure centre.
She said: “It’s great to see this latest milestone progressing. It’s the end of an era as we say goodbye to the old leisure centre and move with excitement towards a new top-class sports, health and wellbeing facility for everyone in our communities, complementing our existing borough-wide facilities.
“It’s another example of the unprecedented investment underway across Halifax and Calderdale to support thriving towns and places for people and businesses.”
William Kay, Regional Director for Yorkshire and the North East at Tilbury Douglas, said the project aims to deliver a centre that “genuinely enhances the wellbeing of people across Calderdale”.
Construction of the new facility is expected to be completed in 2027.
The development forms part of Vision 34, the borough’s long-term plan to improve Calderdale over the next decade.
The Vision 34 themes are enterprising, opportunity, kind, welcoming, hope, heritage, nature and creativity. Through these themes, organisations and people from all walks of life are encouraged to share their positive stories about life in Calderdale.
That’s it for this edition, thanks for reading.
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Until Sunday, have a great week…
Andrew
I think limiting the length of the pool is a mistake. Back in the fifties 25m was deemed to be sufficient, but the pools were overcrowded and it was impossible to swim any distance.
In the sixties many councils built 50m pools in order to bring them up to Olympic standards. These bigger pools did not have the same overcrowding problems.
By building a 25m pool you are ensuring it is redundant before the first tile is laid.