Councillors back last-chance bid to save historic Halifax community building

Grade II-listed Queens Road Neighbourhood Centre could potentially be transferred by Calderdale Council to Halifax Opportunities Trust (HOT) to take on.

The community delivery organisation is highly-regarded by cabinet councillors and already runs two other buildings as asset transfers.

However, the building badly needs major refurbishment. An HOT application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund in 2025 for funds was unsuccessful, and it was closed last October because of health and safety concerns.

The council’s cabinet were asked to partner HOT in making a fresh bid to start a chain of applications which might bring in around £9m of investment.

But as costs are an issue, if bidding for National Lottery cash fails at either of two stages, the building can ultimately be sold at auction.

HOT could potentially, if bids are successful, take it on from December 2027.

Cabinet member for Corporate Services, Assets and Resources, Coun Mike Payne (Reform UK, Sowerby Bridge) said it was a difficult decision of hard choices.

The building was highly valued by the community and has housed Park ward’s neighbourhood officer team.

Cabinet councillors agreed the council should be a joint applicant with HOT to apply to the National Lottery Heritage Fund again, this time for funding up to a maximum of £610,000, for the development stage of plans only.

The next, delivery, stage would involve an HOT application which could realise £5m, and with HOT also speaking to other funders, a total of £9m might be achieved, said Coun Payne.

But if either bid stage is unsuccessful, the council can sell the building, he said.

With the initial application to be made next month, it would be known by December whether the first stage had been successful, he told councillors.

Coun Payne said clearly there were risks and costs in continuing to manage the building until December 2027.

“However, I would suggest that the potential opportunities – from continuing to support HOT in securing up to £9m worth of investment in the most disadvantaged ward of the borough to create a thriving community hub as a location for work and learning, and to retain a community and heritage asset – are worth pursuing.

“But it can’t be at any cost and that is why we have to stick to these dates that we’ve outlined in the report,” he said.

Leader of the council, Coun Daniel Sutherland, said finding a solution was key and the paper set out a clear way forward.

“Obviously, that means some hard decisions if the funding isn’t secured, but we’re making a really clear commitment that we are willing to take that risk,” he said.

Coun Sutherland (Reform UK, Illingworth and Mixenden) said he knew from working with them that HOT was “a fantastic organisation.”

“I’ve got full faith they can deliver this on behalf of the community,” he said.