Halifax Leisure Centre

Plans

The new leisure centre will be built on the site of the old North Bridge Leisure Centre in Halifax. It will offer:

• a 120 station fitness suite;
• a refurbished eight court sports hall; 
• six-lane swimming pool with spectator seating;
• learner pool with viewing and seating area; 
• wet changing village;
• Changing Places facility;
• separate dry change facilities for gym and sports hall use;
• two multi-function studios;
• a dedicated cycling studio; 
• children's soft play and adventure area;
• tag game arena;
• and a café and community area.

The specification for the new leisure centre incorporates energy efficient and carbon footprint reducing technology throughout the building. This potentially includes innovative pool filtration systems, rainwater harvesting, and air source heat pumps. 

Designs are subject to review and the final design may differ from that which is depicted on this page.

Benefits

Economic growth

The new leisure centre contributes to the wider regeneration of Halifax town centre as part of an improved leisure offer. The leisure centre will provide new opportunities for a people living and working in the borough and add to the town’s proposition for visitors.

Climate and efficiency

The project supports the Council’s target to be carbon neutral by 2038 if not sooner. Energy efficiency and a low carbon footprint are built into the design.

The new leisure centre makes better use of Calderdale Council land assets. The efficient design reduces emissions, utilities usage, and environmental impacts by combining two sites into one.

Health and well-being

The leisure centre will reduce health inequalities in Calderdale by providing sustainable leisure facilities which are more accessible to residents in areas with poor health outcomes. The new facilities will enable more people to be more active more often, supporting the clear link between physical activity and health and wellbeing

Progress

November 2024

The tender to produce the final designs for the new Halifax Leisure Centre has been issued. A number of organisations responded with an expression of interest when the opportunity was shared with the market in August 2024. Those organisations have been invited to submit a tender response.

The next stage will be the appointment of a contractor, and work to start on the final designs in 2025.

26 March 2024

Delivery of the new Halifax Leisure Centre has moved a step forward, with the latest design updates submitted for planning approval.

The design updates will be considered as part of a ‘non-material amendment’ to the existing planning application. Subject to approval, the designs will then be developed in more detail.

10 July 2023

Plans for the new Halifax Leisure Centre and Swimming Pool have moved a step closer following a review of the leisure services offered by the Council in the town: A leisure centre fit for the future.

4 November 2022

Calderdale Council faces severe financial pressures which will have an impact on delivery of proposed development projects across the borough: Impact of national financial crisis on Calderdale projects.

July 2022

We are already reaching key milestones while we prepare for the construction phase.

So far we have:

• stripped internal fixtures and fittings from the building,
• prepared for the diversion of water mains,
• conducted extensive condition surveys of Hebble Brook culvert,
• made a temporary surface on Bowling Dyke bridge to protect the cobbles ready for reinstatement upon completion.

We have closed part of the car park (at Sainsbury side access) and installed temporary traffic management so Yorkshire Water can begin essential work. During this time access to North Bridge Car Park will be through Bowling Dyke.

Essential early groundworks and utility works are underway. Demolition of the buildings around the sports hall will begin in the next few months. The sports hall will remain and a new flood attenuation tank will be installed. This phase of work should last for around 15 weeks.

February 2022

Calderdale Council made the decision to go ahead with construction of the new leisure centre at the full council meeting on 9 February 2022.

Cabinet and the planning committee have approved the plans at separate meetings prior to this latest milestone in the project. The decision means that North Bridge Leisure Centre will close on 6 March 2022 and preparatory work and construction can begin shortly. At this stage we expect to complete the project to build the leisure centre in early 2024.

January 2022

A version of the application made to the Levelling Up Fund for the leisure centre is available to view.

July 2021

The planning application (reference: 21/00917/FUL) has been submitted and is available to view on the Planning public access system.

2021 

Following the pause on the project due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the project was restarted at the beginning of 2021. Work has been progressing, further surveys have been carried out and comments received from the consultation in 2020 have been considered.

March 2020

Further consultation with key stakeholders.

2018

First public consultation resulted in 1637 responses. There was strong support for new, improved and combined leisure facilities.