Redesigned Halifax town centre plan brings mixed reaction

Designs for the area between Halifax rail station and The Piece Hall, known as the ‘Eastern Gateway’, have been redeveloped, following the listing of the former Hughes Corporation building.

The improvements to the scheme now fully incorporate the building into the plans.

This phase of the project includes the creation of a modified route into and out of the east of Halifax, to allow through traffic to avoid the town centre. It also includes improvements to the western route to reduce congestion – both enhancements helping towards reduced emissions and better air quality.

Designs include significant changes to make it easier to walk and cycle around the town, encouraging active travel, and bus users will see a revised bus network to allow for better connectivity with the rail station.

There will be increased bus services and much improved facilities, with a new bus station planned for the existing site.

This is how you have reacted to the plans on our Facebook page.

Raza Ahmed: "Fantastic! The plans connect the railway station, Eureka, Square Chapel, the Library, The Piece Hall and the Industrial museum harmoniously together, making for an excellent opportunity for people to visit and spend more time in and around our decent town centre.

"Developments like these bring with them new investment and new businesses which will in turn help fill the potholes, help our communities and bring new employment. I believe the council is being visionary and as a business owner in the town centre, welcome this transformation.

Dan Manley: "Glad the old Hughes Corporation has been listed and no longer going to be knocked down. It's too nice to be demolished. What a business opportunity that is now The Piece Hall and Square Chapel have been renovated right next to it... if the right idea and people get hold of it.

Richard Phillips: "Like alot of people will probably agree, the current infrastructure we have needs looking after first before we open to new projects.

"Loads of potholes up and down Calderdale that are in dire need of funding and sorting out. Renovations of derelict mills to become something more than rotting corpses of the past waiting for another fire to happen before anything is done, Maybe even funding in youth service would be a good suggestion.

"Instead of trying to make new attractions for tourists, Let's invest in ourselves and get the community of Calderdale in a positive place instead."

Carole Kirkbride: "Can’t see how this is going to help the carbon foot print, just making the traffic having to go further out of the way using more fuel and just moving traffic from one busy place to another making worse congestion.

"Also the council should ask themselves why doesn’t good retail shops want to come.

"Reduce rent on shops to entice them into Halifax and reduce price of parking to entice shoppers back."

Jeff Featherstone: "It is really important for visually impaired people that, where there are wide open spaces such as in the picture, there are clearly defined paths with boundaries which a person can easily detect and keep themselves from accidentally walking into the wider space and getting lost. It's not entirely clear from picture whether that is the case with this design.

Judith Crabtree: "Do the powers that be never think of older people or people with disabilities how do they access the town centre>"