What happened to Cow Green car park? Former Halifax town centre car park turned into 122 rental apartments

Bolt Works, located on the site of Cow Green car park, was opened at a ribbon-cutting event, attended by the Mayor of Calderdale, Ann Kingstone, Placefirst and Calderdale Council.

The pet-friendly apartments, available in one and two-bedroom layouts, offer modern living spaces designed exclusively for renters.

Managed by Placefirst, Bolt Works is Halifax’s first dedicated build-to-rent community and features sustainable technologies, including solar panels, heat pumps, and MVHR (mechanical ventilation with heat recovery) systems.

Calderdale Council and Placefirst have worked closely in partnership to deliver the scheme.

The £21m development at Cow Green has been built on the site of a car park that was demolished in 2016 and work began on the new apartments in 2023.

Phil Jones, Director of Development at Placefirst, said: “Bolt Works is much more than bricks and mortar – we’ve built a community where people can feel at home right in the heart of Halifax.

“This project shows the huge potential in reimagining underused town centre spaces into neighbourhoods full of life, with great homes and spaces people are proud to call home. It’s been fantastic to work alongside Calderdale Council to make this vision a reality, and we’re excited to see the first residents bringing the place to life.”

Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Action and Housing, Coun Scott Patient, said: “The new homes at Bolt Works support our priority for thriving towns and places, regenerating underused spaces and creating much-needed homes, in a great central location.

"The development contributes to wider regeneration work across Halifax and the Calderdale area, creating a place where people want to live, work, study and do business.

"I’m also pleased to see sustainability at the heart of the development, with innovative technologies used to improve energy efficiency and reduce the building’s environmental impact, supporting our climate objectives.”

The scheme was funded primarily by Placefirst with contributions from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Brownfield Housing Fund and a loan from the Greater Manchester Pension Fund.

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “Our multimillion-pound investment into this flagship scheme has helped to convert a run-down car park into over a hundred high quality and energy efficient homes in the heart of Halifax."