The Halifax ‘Piece Mill’, a 19th Century Mill within Halifax Town Centre is expected to become home to Leeds Beckett University’s latest ‘Business Centre’, ideally located adjacent to the Grade 1 listed Piece Hall that is currently undergoing a multi-million transformation before becoming home to independent shops and businesses, may be under threat of demolition. As Calderdale Council has commissioned consultants to draw up a study that examines potential sites that could provide further parking for Halifax Town Centre, ongoing now for over two years unless of course this is another study to that of the ‘Halifax Car Parking Access & Service Strategy 2014’, this study is expected to be completed within another 1 to 2 years, according to the minutes of the Cabinet Transport Working Party held on the 14th December 2016. An addendum to this study is now being undertaken at the request of ‘MT’ to examine ‘Piece Hall Parking Solutions’.
Although it is yet unclear why this is necessary as proposals/plans for Halifax Town Centre are expected to see the creation of a ‘bus loop’, a scheme aimed at directing traffic around instead of through Halifax town centre that will run past the site of Cow Green Car Park and the creation of a new multi-story car park upon the site of the former Mackintosh Factory, something that has been established “could accommodate peak demands not only from Eureka but also from the Piece Hall” in conjunction with the proposed lower deck to the Church St Car Park. [1] However in relation to Cow Green Car Park this site was to be “marketed as a further development opportunity for the Borough.” shortly after it was demolished in February 2016 according to the deputy Leader of Calderdale Council Councillor Barry Collins, over a year on and the marketing of this site has yet to begin. [2] Although this may have something to do with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s plans for Halifax Town Centre. [3]
In relation to this new multi-story car park upon the site of the former Mackintosh Factory, that is currently a nature reserve. The viability of any new car parking upon this site serving the Piece hall, will be severely diminished once Northern install ticket gates at Halifax Railway Station, something that was planned to be delivered by the end of March 2017 according to Northern’s own ‘Customer Report’ but failed to materialize. [4] As this masterplan outlines proposals to remove the stations current level access with the construction of new access to the platforms from beneath via a reopened Navigation Road, which is also to provide access to this new multi-story car park. Although this could be solved by re-configuring Lilly Lane which would enable access to a car park upon this site and also be of benefit to those travelling from Water lane towards the railway station.
This may also explain why the site in between Horton St and Backledge, that is currently owned by Square Chapel Centre for the arts, which was purchased in order to facilitate their own multi million pound development is now is to be acquired by the Council to facilitate “highway remodeling” although it could be the case that this site will deliver a mix of highway improvements and car parking. [5]
So what sites are being considered for car parking and was/is the Piece Mill part of these car parking and highway proposals?
[1] Halifax Station Gateway Masterplan / Page 40 / PDF Page 46 https://www.calderdale.gov.uk/nweb/COUNCIL.minutes_pkg.view_doc?p_ID=46789&p_Type=AR
[2] Minutes of Council held on the 17th February 2016 https://www.calderdale.gov.uk/council/councillors/councilmeetings/index.jsp
[3] https://michaelbradleysblog.wordpress.com/2016/02/14/whats-in-store-for-cow-green-car-park/
[4] Northern’s Customer Report / October 2016 / PDF Page 6 https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/corporate/transformation
[5] Report presented to Cabinet on 4th July 2016 / PDF Page 16 https://www.calderdale.gov.uk/nweb/COUNCIL.minutes_pkg.view_doc?p_ID=44856&p_Type=AR
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