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‘We’d want more details of library’
Piece Hall transformation project - Spire Site Library, entrance view
COUNCIL leaders have defended plans for a new Halifax library and redeveloping Northgate, saying it will create space for shops and improve the town.
But sceptics want to see more details and are worried that developers are calling the tune.
MP Linda Riordan, who recently urged the council to “come clean” on its proposals, said: “They now have a range of drawings and design ideas and public opinion is bound to be mixed.
“Many still want the library and archives to stay where they are and I am looking forward to public debate to see if Calderdale Council can sell this idea.”
Mrs Riordan said council leaders had to be ready with detailed answers to many questions if they expected to take people with them on the journey towards a new-look town centre.
The plan is to build a library and archive block beside the Piece Hall, to sell the site of Northgate House and the current library for retail use and sell the former Heath Grammar School, probably for housing.
The council insists the new library and archive would still be within walking distance of the bus and railway stations and could be served by a taxi bus.
Council leader Janet Battye said: “These major investments are the latest step in creating a vibrant town centre.
“We know investors are seeking to come into Halifax and that local people want better shops and leisure facilities. Bringing bigger and better shops to Halifax is long overdue and will provide a fantastic boost.”
Economy and environment spokesman Barry Collins said the new library and archive would support the redevelopment of the Piece Hall, creating a vibrant cultural quarter incorporating the Orange Box youth centre and Square Chapel.
“While councils across the land are struggling to keep their libraries and archives open, Calderdale is about to embark on an exciting development which will see a completely new and purpose-built library and archive.
“It is more cost-effective to dispose of the present site and build a new facility. To refurbish Northgate House would cost up to £15 million and to refurbish Central Library and archive would cost up to £6 million.”
The cabinet’s recommendations will be discussed at the next council meeting on Wednesday, December 7.
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Comments
There are 62 comments to this article
Page 1 of 5
JohnAndrew
Sunday, November 6, 2011 at 11:37 AMAren't the Council just going to be reverting to the original 20082009 plan outlined in a report to the Community Services Scrutiny Panel on 23 April 2009? This says the new library facility will be allocated 20000 square feet (excluding stairs, lifts, etc). The new library will offer the following core facilities - Lending, Reference, Children's services, multi-media collections, and ICT. Facilities currently provided within the Central Library that WILL NOT be provided within the new library are: ARCHIVE STORAGE (and possibly service point and search room), MEETING ROOMS, DISCOVER (Libraries, Museums, and Arts Education services), BIBLIOGRAPHICAL SERVICES (handles library collections, acquisitions, disposals, and stock movement), BUSINESS SUPPORT, and the RESERVE BOOK STORE. The cost of moving staff from Northgate House, Customer Services (including the library) is not to exceed £12 million.
The WEC
Saturday, November 5, 2011 at 05:47 PM59dondoric Saturday, November 5, 2011 at 02:52 AM @FaxLad.This cheeky so and so was born in Halifax for yer information,born English but via Scottish descent (my father's parents were born in Scotland).I now no longer live in Halifax,although a brother of mine who was born in Halifax still lives there but his life story is not as successful as mine by remaining in his home town of birth.I lived twice previously in Todmorden,twice previously in Rochdale,once previously in Burnley,once previously in Oldham,once previously in Preston (Lancashire that is),once previously in Blackpool,now residing presently in Kirkham between Preston and Blackpool. Fipping 'eck lad "Who do you think you are - The Highlander?" lol
dondoric
Saturday, November 5, 2011 at 03:28 AM@FaxLad.Also while i'm at it the two previous occasions i was residing in Todmorden,not many visitors from Halifax came to visit Todmorden let alone work there or even live there.The people of Halifax in general and the rest of Yorkshire do not give a toss about Todmorden anyway,and some years back if i recall in the Halifax Evening Courier a correspondent in his column suggested that Todmorden should go back to Lancashire where they belong,this offended Todmordians so much that if they had the opportunity they would consider going into Lancashire and out of Yorkshire altogether.After all Yorkshire largely ignores Todmorden yet prefers neighbouring Hebden Bridge instead.So yes Todmorden do have very little in common with Halifax,and Todmorden also have very little in common with Yorkshire as a whole,and rightfully so.Also if i may add just out of interest most Todmordians support Lancashire CCC,very few support Yorkshire CCC,most Todmordians either support Burnley FC or Rochdale FC,very few support Halifax FC,and as for rugby league not very many Todmordians support Halifax RLFC,most of them support either Rochdale,Oldham,Salford,Leigh or even Wigan RLFC !
dondoric
Saturday, November 5, 2011 at 02:52 AM@FaxLad.This cheeky so and so was born in Halifax for yer information,born English but via Scottish descent (my father's parents were born in Scotland).I now no longer live in Halifax,although a brother of mine who was born in Halifax still lives there but his life story is not as successful as mine by remaining in his home town of birth.I lived twice previously in Todmorden,twice previously in Rochdale,once previously in Burnley,once previously in Oldham,once previously in Preston (Lancashire that is),once previously in Blackpool,now residing presently in Kirkham between Preston and Blackpool.
The Independent
Friday, November 4, 2011 at 08:40 PMI think most of us were expecting this to turn out as it has. Secrecy was maintained despite the stance made by many and the clear and articulate questions asked by the more concerned on this and other forums. All that fell on deaf ears and past public consultations and representations have been brushed aside. The only way to deal with this is real change. "Putting people before politics". 98.5 percent of the population are NOT members of political parties. But we continue allow them to run our administrations alongside the non-elected public servants So #33 HalifaxAdvenger as you picked up on RobRey's previous comments: " RobRey so wisely suggested yesterday, it may well be worth forming a totally new group of people untainted by the bad name of the present clowns employed as councillors, and challenging them at election time". I'm already up for the challenge so how about guys? Come on down. Don't believe it can be done? See http:www.mansfieldindependentforum.co.uk They took control of the council within two elections! There is hope but it takes more than words on a forum.
GSS
Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 08:18 PMQuestions are: 1) What will be the cost of the new Library and Archives be if comparable with £6M to refurbish the present Library and Archives? 2) Where will CMBC house it's staff in the future if Northgate House is demolished? 3) Why build a glass fronted anachronistic building adjacent to existing 18th and 19th century buildings?
JohnAndrew
Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 04:30 PMI wonder why the Halifax Town Centre SPD was never adopted by Council? It reads at page 25. "With the Council committed to leaving Northgate House in 2011 and METRO keen to improve the bus station, this site provides one of the most significant development opportunities in Halifax Town Centre. Its location next to Woolshops, Market Street and the bus station provides an excellent location for expanding the retail core, including the provision of larger modern units for well-known high street retailers whilst retaining the library within the site. The poor frontage along Winding Road also merits redevelopment for retail or other supporting uses, such as offices." This suggests that the future of Northgate House was decided before June 2010.
FaxLad
Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 03:27 PMOh and dondoric what you saying that Todmorden folk have nothing in common with Halifax and 'rightly so'? Why? You sayong that Rochdale is a better place to be a ssociated with or Burnley even as apart from their footy team they have not much to shout about. Halifax compares very well with those towns you cheeky so and so, where you from?
FaxLad
Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 03:23 PMdondoric - Not many people from Halifax shop in Huddersfield but they do go to the mostly the White Rose Centre or Leeds, Manchester or the Trafford Centre. Some Todmorden folk do shop in halifax and associate with halifax as they are in Yorkshire its only the Post Office that put Tod in lancashire as a postal address, obvioulsy Burnley and Rochdale are closer so many Toddites go there but they do also come into Halifax.
halifax avenger
Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 01:20 PM#52 Archie Medes. Precisely - where has this figure of £6 million come from? And when did it become necessary to close the lkibrary for a long period for the work to be carried out? This sounds like another artifically inflated figure to give a reason for demolishing the library. Just like the argument for Northgate House - which rose to £15 million only when the council were looking for an excuse to demolish it. Alan Shaw in a "YourSay" letter earlier this week asked precisely this question - along with lots of other questions - so when are we going to get the answer?
Archie Medes
Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 10:50 AMOnly about 3 years ago at a Scrutiny Panel meeting Kirsten England, who held Ian Grey's job before him, said there was no work needed on the Library which would justify its demolition, but the site was needed for retail development, so where has the £6 million repair cost come from ?
micknand
Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 07:17 AM#50 Jack'O'Lantern the £6m is just for the library, Northgate House is a further £15m. Don't be fooled that objections will make a difference or even be addressed. What should happen now is that CMBC convince the public that what they are proposing is what is best for us and our town. What is known as a "hearts and minds" exercise. This will be difficult because of their previous shabby dealings with this sort of situation. Far too many of us are suspicious of motives and interests. From past experience they will not even attempt to seriously do this. Instead we will see a serious of boxes ticked and the scheme pushed through. In the future when the truth floats to the surface we will be told things like "we are where we are" and "people have moved on". But by then unless there are changes now, we will be voicing the same concerns about yet another CMBC scheme, although we will probably be Leeds City Council by then. Mick www.copleyvalley.co.uk
Jack'O'Lantern
Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 12:42 AMI suppose this is another grandiose proposal that will never come to fruition because of the number of objections that these proposals attract. For starters people will always travel to neighbouring towns and cities to shop simply because they are there, and because it offers the opportunity for a day out. Halifax will soon have the excellent Broad Street Plaza incorporating a much-needed cinema along with the neighbouring hotel and additional shops which will add to the broad mix that is already available in the town. If however Northgate House has to be demolished I would have thought there was enough empty office space available such as in George Square or Crown House. Halifax will never be another Leeds or Manchester but it is vital that it gets local support and has a goodly supply of most things available to the local populace. I once worked in a jewellers shop in town and one lady customer had come all the way from Glossop to find what she wanted. It is vital that the authorities keep pressing ahead with modernisation schemes as it has taken 17 years to see the Broad Street Plaza near completion. I still think however that £6million quid to repair Northgate House is a bit steep.
dondoric
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 11:41 PMUlster.About the majority of Calderdale people who shop in Huddersfield,not as far as Todmorden townsfolk is concerned.Todmordians prefer to shop nearer to them such as Burnley and Rochdale,not Huddersfield or Halifax come to mind.
dondoric
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 11:34 PM@AMH.What about the outlying areas of Calderdale who shop outside the district.One example being Todmorden where the majority of its townsfolk shop in nearby Burnley and Rochdale as they're nearer and more convenient.Most Todmordians have little in common with Halifax whatsoever and rightfully so.Even Brighouse also have very little in common with Halifax,their townsfolk prefer to shop in Huddersfield,Bradford and Dewsbury.
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