Calderdale Council is investing further in an exciting future for North Halifax, in support of our vision to create vibrant and sustainable places with new and improved services for our communities.
The communities of North Halifax are situated on the outskirts of the town centre and made up of the wards of Ovenden and Illingworth and Mixenden. These distinct neighbourhoods represent a significant portion of the population within Calderdale and share many similarities, including strong community spirit.
The area also experiences several challenges, with some of the most deprived communities in the borough. People’s health, wealth, and wellbeing in North Halifax has also been particularly negatively impacted by the COVID pandemic, in some cases further exacerbating existing issues. The pandemic has also impacted upon local services with COVID-related delays to planned projects and the closure and deterioration of existing community assets.
A number of major improvement schemes are already underway or planned for the area, with significant investment in projects at various stages of development. These include recently completed improvements at Beechwood Road Library, major new schemes to improve walking and cycling, and the upcoming construction-phase of work on a new Mixenden Hub. Emerging plans are also in development for Mixenden Activity Centre with additional improvements to housing and local green spaces also underway – together these demonstrate Calderdale Council’s commitment to the area.
The Council’s Cabinet will now discuss proposals to bring these schemes together as one coherent programme of work, forming a Strategic Plan for North Halifax. This would be led by local communities and shaped by existing feedback from local people about their priorities for recovery. The report also recommends that costed proposals for the necessary repairs and development of the Centre at Threeways site are presented to Cabinet for consideration at a later date.
The strategic plan would be supported by investment of £80,000 per year and include the formation of a new working group to deliver transformational change and better outcomes for local people. This is in addition to significant funding already assigned to existing improvement projects. Opportunities to attract external investment would also be pursued.
The Leader of Calderdale Council, Cllr Tim Swift, said:
“Significant investment programmes are already underway in and around North Halifax aimed at improving facilities for local people and supporting the existing strong community spirit which makes the area distinctive. However, we also understand that the pandemic has had a particular impact on local communities, both from a health perspective and on the local economy, with the decline of some local facilities.
“We recognise the urgent need to recover, build resilience and support better outcomes for local people. We’re committed to the future of North Halifax and want to ensure that ongoing development schemes complement each other, creating a strong vision to further transform the area. The Strategic Plan for North Halifax would ensure that the Council, local partners and the community can take a greater role in driving regeneration in the area and build a strong case for further investment in community and physical infrastructure in these important neighbourhoods.”
The Strategic Plan for North Halifax will be discussed at the meeting of Calderdale Council’s Cabinet on Monday 17 January 2022 from 6pm.