Regeneration making a difference in Halifax  

The Renew inquiry visited regeneration sites in Halifax to see what can be achieved and where even more can be done. Calderdale Council and Together Housing Group, who have been part of an investment partnership since 2017, hosted the visit.

The first stop on the tour was Boltworks where 122 new Build to Rent flats were built on a disused car park by Placefirst. Viability challenges were overcome through funding, including money from the Brownfield Housing Fund, to deliver good quality homes. This development, which completed in 2025, meets the need for smaller properties in the City ward due to a high proportion of single person households.

Next stop was the award-winning Beech Hill Regeneration project where 106 new affordable homes replaced three tower blocks which no longer met modern standards. In phase two, 70 mixed-tenure homes in the surrounding area were repaired and made more energy efficient. This reinvigorated the area which was becoming neglected and isolated.

After that we walked through the impressive Dean Clough, a former carpet mill that’s now a hotel, gallery, shops, restaurants and offices up to Haley Hill, a trio of 1960s tower blocks.  These homes will benefit from Together Housing’s investment and retrofit work to ensure they remain modern, safe places to live. 

Tower blocks were a hot topic of conversation. Together Housing spoke about their high-rise strategy and how they balance “immediate safety and compliance requirements with long-term investment decisions that deliver modern, sustainable homes and support thriving communities.”

The final stop of the tour was Minster View – a brownfield site which recently went out to market. It is hoped development of the land will contribute to town centre regeneration objectives as well as enhancing the local economy. The tour was rounded of by walking back through the regenerated Borough Market.

Earlier in the day the Renew Reference Group, a group of NHC members coming together to share insight on regeneration, met for a roundtable discussion about the latest findings from Renew, high rise development and the ten-year vision for Halifax. 

The Renew inquiry will visit more regeneration sites over the summer to document what works well and where more needs to be done. Renew is supported by Homes for the North and Muse.