Halifax Developments

[islandexpress]

MORE big-name retailers have been announced for the Broad Street Plaza in Halifax.

Pizza Express, Nando’s, pub chain Harvester and the Chinese Buffet could be trading alongside Wetherspoon’s and Frankie and Benny’s when the Vue cinema and Tenpin bowling alley open in March next year.

A deal on Pizza Express is now in legal hands.

And negotiations are under way with Nando’s, the chicken restaurant chain. Meanwhile the huge steel frame for the £50 million development is taking shape opposite Halifax Town Hall.

It will incorporate a 429-space multi-storey car park and a health centre opposite the bus station, to replace the Laura Mitchell Clinic.

The Gregory Group will also build a 100-bedroom Premier Inn and a TableTable Restaurant.

Gregory Group managingdirector David Brimblecombe said: “I hope that by the end of March, the scheme will be 90 per cent let.

“And by March 15, we should be able to say it will be completed within a year.”

As well as those named, there will be at least four smaller retail units in the scheme, which is centred around the multi-screen cinema complex.

The last cinema in Halifax, the ABC at Ward’s End, closed in June 2002 with the blockbuster Spiderman.

Part of the Broad Street site, at the corner of Orange Street, is likely to be left vacant in the short term.

It has been set aside for a multi-storey office block which could replace the council’s administrative HQ at Northgate.

The Courier revealed that retoring Northgate House would probably cost £15 million.

But no decisions have been taken about the future of the building, which forms part of a wider debate about development options for that part of the town centre.

Halifax Evening Courier

[Immunda Leodis]

The steel structure looks massive compared to the other buildings in the Fax. This should have a very positive effect on the town centre imo.

[Val Verde]

Good news to see a cinema open up in Halifax Town Centre. On another note plans for a revamp of the Piece Hall are to be considered by Calderdale Council. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-12958528

Halifax Piece Hall £16m revamp plans are considered

Halifax Piece Hall Calderdale Council hopes to bring new life to Halifax's historic Piece Hall



* Piece Hall Market shut by council
* Uncertain future for town market

Plans for a £16m facelift at Halifax's landmark Piece Hall will be considered later by Calderdale Council.

The council is putting together a bid for Heritage Lottery funding so the 230-year-old cloth hall can undergo conservation work.

It is hoped the restoration work will lead to a boost in visitor numbers and attract new businesses.

The council said, if the bid is successful, the Piece Hall project would be completed in 2014.
'Sustainable future'

Robin Tuddenham, the council's director of communities, said the aim was to make the Piece Hall commercially sustainable while maintaining its links to Halifax's history.

"It really is transformational but it also builds a sustainable future for the Piece Hall," he said.

Opening in 1779 as a marketplace for Halifax's cloth trade, the council-owned Piece Hall now plays host to shops, cafes and an art gallery.

Andrew Griffin, owner of the Cappuccino Cafe at the Piece Hall, said he welcomed the plans.

"You only have to look around at what a beautiful building it is, but the infrastructure does need some work," he said.

But John Hoyle, who runs the Friendly Dragon shop, which sells pagan artefacts, said he was worried.

"Although the council wants to make it an Italian piazza, lots of people think Halifax is a northern post-industrial town and that setting needs to continue," he said.

Calderdale Council said a public consultation would be held when new designs for the Piece Hall were completed.

Good to see some investment in the Piece Hall. I wonder though how these works would increase the popularity of the Piece Hall as an attraction.

[islandexpress]

http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news..._not_1_4111081

Read the comments if you want a laugh - think I disagree with 99% of them!!

[Val Verde]

Originally Posted by islandexpress

http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news..._not_1_4111081

Read the comments if you want a laugh - think I disagree with 99% of them!!

Some insane views there. Surely a new library for Halifax town centre would potentially be a good thing provided that it is well sited and has facilities which significantly exceeds what the present library has to offer. Where is the new library proposed to be sited and is a Primark proposed at the site of the existing Halifax library?

[islandexpress]

The council intends to sell the site of Northgate House (main council HQ) and the adjacent library, both were built in the late 70s / early 80s and Northgate house is pretty much life expired. Had a meeting sometime ago and it was a pretty miserable place. The library less so but it is dated and I guess the nature of libraries has changed with the www etc.

Both sit on prime retail land between the Woolshops (M&S, TopShop, River Island etc) and the new Broad St Plaza (opens summer 2012 Vue, Pizza Express, Nandos etc). Apparently the council has been approached by a number of developers with clients including Primark to build a retail scheme.

The council therefore intends to build a new library close to the Piece Hall, sensible imo to create through flow and interest once the restoration can go ahead. Architecturally some early concept renders were published and it looked like a glass and 'metal' 'box' and not a more traditional style.

I guess the controversy is that the new library will hold less books (a sign of the times?) and the current library is of course well sited.

I think the council will then lease offices, either in Broad St, or another 'spec' build in the town.

[Irish Blood English Heart]

Sounds like a very sensible plan to me! Halifax has a hell of a town centre for a town it's size and a Primark would be the icing on the cake when a lot of far bigger towns don't have one!

[di Livio]

The Broad Street Plaza looks good. If it was built in Leeds the stone would probably become white cement render.

image hosted on flickr

[aviator]

Originally Posted by di Livio

The Broad Street Plaza looks good. If it was built in Leeds the stone would probably become white cement render.

image hosted on flickr

And you wonder why people jump down your throat so often

[Val Verde]

A petition for a new railway station in Elland and £19 million plans to transform Halifax's Piece Hall. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...land_1_4199222

Certainly a railway station for Elland is needed (and should have opened at the same time as Brighouse railway station back in 2000) and I cannot understand capacity issues considering the Elland and Brighouse branch line is isolated from more frequent services using the Leeds - Manchester via Bradford and Halifax and Leeds to Manchester via Huddersfield lines with two trains each way per hour in addition to a few Grand Central services and freight and occassional charters.

As for the Piece Hall surely that has the potential to be a big unique attraction for Halifax as a town.

[islandexpress]

Jack Wills outlet to open in Dean Clough in August - hoardings now in place. Checked online and jackwillsoutlet.com is by invitation only so should be quite a coup for the town.

[Val Verde]

Drove through Halifax today and noticed the new leisure development of Broad Street Plaza with the restaurants now starting to open up (including the likes of Nandos, Frankie & Bennys, Pizza Express, Harvester etc) and the new Vue cinema due to open on the 26th October. Looking like a great new addition for Halifax town centre (with an appearance of something belonging to a larger city) which should hopefully promote further development within Halifax. http://www.myvue.com/ilovemovies

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr

[fozzy]

Looks good has a big city feel!!! Great addition to Halifax town centre.

[LeedsUnited]

Originally Posted by jackwills

really love jack wills outlet clothing

By any chance do you work for Jack Willis?

[lazygamer]

Originally Posted by LeedsUnited

By any chance do you work for Jack Willis?

Doubt it, the site's fake. Spammed.

[Val Verde]

Restoration for the Piece Hall in Halifax has been approved: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-20616083

Good news to see the Piece Hall attract investment although it really does need some sort of big anchor or attraction to regularly attract custom imo.