What is happening with Elland station: Council set to buy land so it can build Calderdale town's new station

The station in Elland is being added to the Calder Valley line to boost the town’s transport links with the wider region and beyond, including Leeds, Huddersfield, Bradford and Manchester.

Cabinet members are being asked to use already granted compulsory purchase powers (CPOs) to acquire the land – a 1.52 hectare site – off Lowfields Way on the northern side of Elland.

The land, along with other parcels already owned by the council and others it aims to buy, will then be given to Network Rail to help enable work on the new station to progress.

When they meet on Monday, March 17, the senior councillors will be asked to approve the making of a general vesting declaration – a statutory procedure allowing a council to acquire ownership of land and property.

This can then be transferred – along with land the council already owns and earmarked for the project – to Network Rail.

Councillors are also being asked to approve voluntarily purchasing freehold of other land needed to develop the station.

They will be told this land comprises two plots which is registered to a company called Routestone Limited.

That company has been dissolved and the land now belongs to the Crown so the purchase will need to be negotiated with the Government’s legal department.

Regarding another parcel of land, the beneficiary – PPG Land Limited - has also become dissolved, with the rights similarly transferring to the Crown. Cabinet is being asked to approve starting negotiations to release this too.

Councillors will then be asked to agree the transfer of all the land to Network Rail to get the station developed.

The project to build the new station is being delivered by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority in partnership with Calderdale Council and surrounding works will include installing two new pedestrian and cycling bridges.

Last autumn, councillors worried about delays were told the station is due to be finished by late 2026.

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