Halifax's new pool and leisure centre back on track and could be open as early 2025

The project to replace the shut down swimming pool on Skricoat Road with a new leisure centre and pool on the North Bridge Leisure Centre site was paused last year due to spiralling costs as inflation bit hard last year.

But Calderdale Council has revealed today the new facility is going ahead and could be ready to open in as early as two or three years’ time.

Halting the project last autumn, councillors were told costs had increased from the initial £28 million to £31 million.

Then at the height of last autumn’s spiralling inflation, that had risen to around £35 million – with no guarantee it would stop there.

Now, at last, there is good news. “The plans are back on track at the North Bridge site,” said leader of the council, Coun Jane Scullion.

“It’s really not been easy these last nine months.

“A lot of work has gone on behind the scenes. They have been difficult financial times and they have not got a lot better, particularly with building inflation.”

The project’s original plans have been redrawn to ensure best value for money, with new consultants casting a fresh eye over them to rethink what could be done.

Talks with the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities have been constructive and £12.2 million which the council had been awarded towards a leisure scheme will still be available.

“As a result we are now more confident and we can go ahead,” said Coun Scullion.

“And we can go ahead with top class facilities that I think will impress and be there for the people of Halifax and Calderdale more widely for decades to come.”

The centre will still include a new swimming pool but some other elements of the original plans – of the “nice to have” kind, said Coun Scullion – including a wellness suite, sauna and steam room, have had to be dropped.

If circumstances change, they can be added in the future, said Coun Scullion.

She said the review had been very through and options including retaining the leisure centre building and the old Halifax Swimming Pool building had been looked at.

The council will now only demolish part of the original leisure centre building for the new project but reopening the old pool building is not an option because of concrete in the structure and the pool tank failing.

“It would not warrant the amount of money you would have to spend to get it back to any sort of future,” said Coun Scullion.

“The absolute best outcome is to go ahead with the plans on the North Bridge site, putting the swimming pool and the leisure centre together.”

Coun Scullion could not give a detailed figure of final cost due to ongoing construction inflation.

“But I can say we have reduced the total project cost by six to ten per cent and are very close to the approved budget,” she said.

“Officers are looking at identifying additional cost savings as we go on.”

The council says there is developer interest in the old swimming pool site.