Plans for new Calderdale business park that could create 1,300 new jobs move forward

The council wants to develop the business park at a large site at Wakefield Road in Clifton.

The council’s leader Jane Scullion says it has the potential to create 1,300 new jobs, attract significant investment and new businesses into Brighouse.

But a crunch issue has been finding funding to take the scheme forward, with a recent unsuccessful bid made to the Government’s Levelling Up Fund.

Now the council has begun a tendering process to potentially bring a specialist developer on board as a partner with expertise to deliver commercial units at Clifton Business Park.

The tender is open until noon on Monday, July 17.

The developer would work alongside the council to finance and manage design, planning, construction and marketing of the scheme.

Council leader Jane Scullion said the authority remains confident in Clifton’s potential because undeveloped new employment land of this scale, with a range of distinctive qualities, is rare.

The site already has planning permission and the council says there is high demand from businesses to locate there, with it being close to the M62 and Brighouse town centre nearby.

Coun Scullion said: “We want people to feel pride in the place where they live and do business, and a key part of this is the council’s commitment to support all parts of Calderdale to thrive.

“We also want to build on our borough’s strong contribution to the wider West Yorkshire economy.

“The proposed Clifton Business Park – a major regeneration project – aims to do just that.

“We’re determined to make the business park a reality through an enterprising new route, exploring the option of bringing in an external partner with expertise in moving sites like this forward.”

She said work will progress throughout the year to consider tender responses and confirm whether a joint venture is appropriate.

The matter will then be brought before Calderdale council’s cabinet and a full council meeting so they can consider the it in early 2024.