Halifax pay-and-display car park could be out of action if allowed to become roadworks storage space

Calderdale Council has submitted a planning application seeking permission to temporarily use Union Street car park as a construction storage compound while work is carried out on phase two of the A629 Halifax town centre highway scheme.

Included will be prefabricated site offices, a canteen, drying room and other welfare facilities, nine construction vehicle parking spaces, a toilet block and a compound waste area.

The application – number 23/00771/FUL – can be viewed on the council’s Planning Portal.

Supporting papers with the application say that due to the nature of the proposed works, which cover a densely developed town centre, suitable sites are limited.

One in private ownership has previously been considered at Cripplegate, but the land is no longer available.

Union Street Car Park site is considered most suitable as it is ideally placed to for the works within all corridors – western, eastern and central – of the scheme, say the supporting statements.

It also has good access for HGVs.

It has previously been used as a construction site compound and proven effective for this use, says the council.

Acknowledging there are nearby residential, commercial and community properties, noise will be mitigated with vehicle parking areas furthest away from homes, say the statements.

The second phase of the A629 Halifax town centre project aims to improve pedestrian and cycle access into and within Halifax town centre.

It also includes an upgrade of the roads around the town and a number of high-quality improvements to the look and feel of the town centre will be introduced, including the pedestrianisation of Market Street.

Bus routes around and through the town will also be improved, better connecting the rail and bus stations and improving on-street bus stop facilities, says the council.

Final approvals for this phase of the project were confirmed by the Combined Authority in mid-September 2023, with total funding of £64million agreed.

Work is estimated to begin in early 2024, says the council.