Halifax regeneration projects up for Yorkshire property awards

Northgate House commercial development and the partnership project to rejuvenate homes at Beech Hill estate – both in Halifax – are in the running for Insider Yorkshire Property Industry Awards 2022.

The Northgate House commercial development is a finalist in the Fit-out or Refurbishment of the Year category, and the Beech Hill housing scheme is up for Residential Development of the Year in the “more than 100 homes” sub category.

Innovations during design and construction of the former Halifax library and council offices included creating a unique steel frame podium structure to enable street-level access to the Northgate building, with an aim of the completed project, half of the space earlier developed as the borough’s new Sixth Form Centre, being to increase footfall and helping boost Halifax businesses.

Just outside Halifax town centre, the Beech Hill area is being transformed, after previously being home to three empty tower blocks.

Major work through the Calderdale and Together Housing Investment Partnership (CTHIP) is seeing 106 new affordable homes being built, as well as a cycle route, public open space and energy efficiency improvements to existing homes on the site to help tackle climate change.

West Yorkshire Combined Authority has been a funding partner in both schemes while Beech Hill has also seen Homes England giving support to the partners – key investment given challenges posed by the topography of the area meaning high demolition and construction costs made affordable housing projects unviable for many developers.

The outcome will be good-quality, affordable homes within walking distance of the town centre, bringing more housing choice and a better quality of life for local people, economic growth by safeguarding and creating jobs and training opportunities, regeneration of an underused part of Halifax and better, greener connections to the surrounding area with a reduction in carbon emissions and fuel poverty to help tackle the climate emergency and health inequalities, says the council.

Recently scrutiny and audit councillors were given presentations on progress with the Northgate project.

Councillors have heard that with insurance giant RSA taking the Northgate office space, talks have been ongoing with a prospective tenant for one of the four retail units.

Talking more generally about ongoing schemes, which range from major projects like Halifax Rail Station gateway to Future High Street Fund schemes to improve Halifax Borough Market and the town’s Victoria Theatre, councillors were concerned rising costs could impact on projects and officers confirmed inflation in the construction industry is “eye watering” at the moment but were confident the situation could be managed.

The sort of affordable homes the Beech Hill scheme will realise are much needed in Calderdale, Cabinet member for Public Services and Communities, Coun Jenny Lynn (Lab, Park) recently told scrutiny councillors at a meeting considering the authority’s draft Local Plan.

Coun Jane Scullion (Lab, Luddenden Foot), Calderdale Council’s Cabinet member for Regeneration and Strategy, said both short listed projects are significant contributors to Calderdale’s transformation.“It’s a real honour that the level of ambition and confidence in the borough has been reflected at a regional level,” she said.

The Insider Yorkshire Property Industry Awards winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in Leeds on Thursday, September 22.