Elland regeneration: What is happening to Elland town centre and why weekly market has had to move

A transformation of the market area and a new community hub are moving closer as part of a £6 million revamp of the town centre.

Calderdale Council recently appointed contractor Eric Wright Civil Engineering to change the look and feel of the town centre, and Code Building Solutions to upgrade the Cartwheel Club.

Both are hard at work, with Code Building Solutions already on site and Eric Wright Civil Engineering preparing to start construction work in the Market Square area, Elland high street and Southgate in October.

Roof works and repointing have started at the Cartwheel Club, survey works are ongoing and the inside of the building has been stripped out to make way for new facilities in a complete refurbishment.

The next steps will be to build a side extension and an accessible lift, and to fit out the roof and the new interior.

To get ready for the market transformation, the Friday outdoor market is temporarily moving from Market Square and will operate around the corner in Upper Timber Street car park from Friday, October 6 for around three months.

Once the works are complete, traders will move back to the newly revamped Market Square, which will have a new garden area and seating, new stone flags and anchor points for the market stalls, and a different layout aimed at making it easier for people to trade and shop.

There will also be new trees and planting.

Elizabeth Street will become one-way in the hope of improving safety for market visitors and providing more space for traders to transport their goods.

There will also be traffic restrictions on the main shopping street aimed at “cleaning up the air and making it a more pleasant place to walk around”, says Calderdale Council.

Lower Timber Street car park will be closed throughout the town centre improvement works to enable construction vehicles and equipment to be stored safely.

Coun Sarah Courtney, Calderdale Council’s cabinet member for Towns, Tourism and Voluntary Sector, said: “The rebirth of this great market town is a longstanding ambition.

“It’s exciting to see work underway to develop Elland as a destination, where businesses can flourish and people spend more time, shop, work, meet others and live healthier, more active lives."