State-of-the-art leisure centre and Halifax college proposals being developed

Plans for two major projects in Halifax gather momentum

Plans have already been revealed to transform Northgate House into a college and a new combined leisure centre and swimming pool on the current North Bridge leisure centre site.

Councillor Barry Collins, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development, said in his recent report to full Council: "The Team have been working with consultants to put together an outline design for the new Halifax Leisure Centre.

"Working closely with colleagues from Sports Services and Corporate Asset and Facilities Management, in addition to representatives from Sport England; they have chosen a draft option for the facility and begun to develop the required business case and funding package.

How the new Halifax swimming pool and leisure centre could look

"Decommissioning of the Northgate site is also under way, with architects appointed to carry out concept definition for a potential sixth form college re-development."

In a capital programme monitoring report in August, it revealed the progress made on the scheme to build a new facility on the current North Bridge Leisure centre.

Construction of a multi million pound high class swimming pool and leisure centre for Halifax took a significant step forward in July 2016.

The Council is facing the prospect of a £12.2million maintenance and refurbishment bill over the next ten years for the current Halifax swimming pool and North Bridge Leisure centre sites.

An initial feasibility study showed the construction of a new combined swimming pool and leisure facility on the existing North Bridge site, incorporating the retention and refurbishment of the existing main sports hall and viewing balcony, would provide the most cost effective solution.

A scheme was revealed in August 2017 for a new specialist Halifax sixth form college on the site of the former central library in the town centre.

The aim is to transform the former library building and the side wing of Northgate House into a high quality sixth form college.

The new college would offer 600 places for post-16 students in the centre of Halifax and could be open to students by Autumn 2019.