New pictures reveal how George Square could look as Calderdale Council tries to attract more people to top of Halifax town centre

The council is planning to create a new public square, events space and greener area in George Square and George Street.

The work is funded by the £11.7m secured for improvements across the town centre from the UK Government’s Future High Streets Fund.

The council hopes making the area “more welcoming, safer and greener” will encourage more people to visit the top of the town centre to “shop, meet, socialise and relax”.

A spokesperson for the council said: “The council will create a flexible new space for community events at the bottom of George Square, by removing the public toilets that have been closed since before the pandemic. Demolition notices are in place on site.

“The council will also plant new trees, alongside the existing cherry trees, to make the area more attractive and calming.

"It will widen the footpaths to create more space for people to walk and sit, and give businesses the opportunity to provide outdoor seating.

"The pay and display parking bays in George Square and George Street will be removed to make way for these improvements.”

Councillor Tim Swift, Calderdale Council’s deputy leader with cabinet responsibility for Halifax masterplanning and regeneration, said: “George Square is surrounded by beautiful, historic buildings and established businesses.

"With the planned improvements to pavements and greenery in place, it will make an excellent space for small outdoor community events and play its part in Calderdale’s ever-growing cultural programme.

“This will encourage more people to explore and spend time in this top part of the town centre.

"Along with the many other major projects going on across Halifax, it will help the high street to grow and thrive.”

The transformation is expected to start in spring 2024 and be complete by the summer.

Calderdale Council received £18 million from the Future High Streets Fund in December 2020, to support town centre improvements in Halifax and Elland.

In Halifax, the projects aim to upgrade and reinvent a number of the town’s distinctive assets, including the Victoria Theatre and Halifax Borough Market.