Plans submitted for new £15.8 million Halifax Bus Station

The regeneration project will deliver a fully enclosed concourse with 19 stands, fully enclosed waiting areas, retail and information facilities under a timber framed concourse and fully green roof.

The redeveloped bus station is a key component of West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Calderdale Council’s plans to transform public transport within Halifax town centre.

SGP is the architect for the project, while AECOM is lead consultant providing engineering, planning, environment and transport planning.

Alistair Branch, Studio Director at SGP, said: “Our design for the bus station redevelopment sensitively integrates a number of important listed heritage structures within a modern bus concourse facility, improving safety for pedestrians and enhancing accessibility to the town centre in a state-of-the-art station that meets the aspirations of the client, operators and key stakeholders.

“The surrounding buildings all have views towards the bus station from a high level, making the roofscape as important as the other elevations. Our design incorporates a fully green roof, with a wildflower meadow over the main concourse to encourage ecological diversity and a sedum green roof over the bus boarding areas to reduce load on the large canopy overhangs.”

The concourse facades will use a combination of glazing and large format natural stone cladding, respecting the material of the listed Sion Sunday School. The School itself will be integrated into the design, with a colonnade and glazed entrance to frame the view of the school.

The Y shaped configuration of stands allows facilities such as a retail unit, waiting rooms and a café area to be sited in the triangular centre, serving all the stands.

Alistair added: “This is another significant transport commission where SGP with will be providing full architectural services with AECOM for client West Yorkshire Combined Authority. Halifax Bus Station is a once in a generation project, a statement building, sustainable and future-proofed for new electric vehicles, able to help reduce congestion, enhance public spaces and promote economic activity across Halifax and the West Yorkshire region.”

AECOM’s Project Manager for the scheme Kirsty James said: “This is a further milestone in the delivery of a number of transport schemes within Calderdale that AECOM is proud to work on through the delivery of multi-disciplinary support. This investment in the bus station will bring a very significant improvement in the quality of public transport facilities for the residents of Calderdale.”

This project has received funding through the Transforming Cities Fund and match funding from the West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund.

The planning decision is expected Autumn 2020 and the project is planned to complete by March 2023.