The construction of a new leisure centre for Halifax town centre is moving forward, as Calderdale Council has appointed a contractor to focus on the final designs, costings and programme ahead of construction.
The Council is delivering the new leisure centre in a central location, at North Bridge in Halifax. The project has been refined to ensure it will be financially sustainable and delivers facilities which are accessible, support health and wellbeing, boost the local economy and contribute to Calderdale’s Climate Action Plan.
Following a competitive tender process, Tilbury Douglas has now been appointed as a contractor to deliver the detailed designs for the project.
The new centre will include a main six-lane swimming pool with spectator seating, a learner pool, a refurbished eight-court sports hall, a 120-station fitness suite, three multi-functional studios, a dedicated cycling studio, a children’s soft play and adventure area, and a café and community area.
There will also be wellbeing spaces, where health and community partners can locate their services, a wet changing village and a Changing Places facility for disabled people and separate dry change facilities for sports hall and gym use, as well as energy-efficient, sustainable features to contribute to Calderdale’s Climate Action Plan and the borough’s target for net zero carbon emissions by 2038.
The contractor and the Council are also exploring options for undertaking early works on site in parallel to the design stage, to speed up the process to construction.
The package of works would include demolition and associated works at the existing North Bridge Leisure Centre, as well as site setup, management and post-demolition surveys. Once the detailed design process and early enabling work is complete, work is due to begin on site later this year.
Calderdale Council’s leader, Cllr Jane Scullion, said: “We know that people are eager to enjoy the new leisure centre in Halifax and we’re working hard to make sure that the modern and centrally located facility provides great opportunities for everyone to be more active, more often.
“We’re ambitious about the project, and we have to make sure that it is financially viable and can be delivered successfully. We’ve secured government funding of over £12million to support the project and continue to seek additional external funding opportunities.
“The appointment of a contractor for the detailed design work will enable us to have a clearer picture of what the centre will look like and how and when it will be delivered. We’re excited about the project and are keen to get things moving and have work start on site as quickly as possible.”
Paul Ellenor, regional director for Yorkshire and the North East at Tilbury Douglas, added: “This project represents a significant investment in the health and wellbeing of the Halifax community.
“Our role is to ensure that the new centre is not only high-quality and accessible but also delivered with pace, precision and long-term value in mind. We bring proven expertise in complex, sustainable developments and are fully committed to driving this landmark scheme forward with Calderdale Council.”
