July 2010

The historic and architectural importance of the Piece Hall has been recognised by the Heritage Lottery Fund, who have given an approval to the First Round funding application, and the project now enters an exciting new phase. The project team have just started the process of selecting and appointing the architect-led Design Team, who will start the process of working up detailed designs for a planning and listed building application in early 2011.

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Calderdale Council has been given the ‘green light’ to progress an application for a £7million Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant, and they have been awarded £239,700 in development funding to work up plans towards the redevelopment of the historic Piece Hall in Halifax.

The first-round pass* means the Council can progress their plans for the building, which is one of the most architecturally significant in Yorkshire and of national importance. The project is expected to be a major driving force behind the economic regeneration of Halifax and aims to place the architectural, cultural and social heritage of The Piece Hall back on the regional and national stage. The Council now have up to two years to submit a more detailed application to HLF for the full grant award of £7 million.

Each year, over one million people walk through the Grade I listed Piece Hall’s open courtyard. Designed by Thomas Bradley and opened in 1779 as place for cloth manufacturers to trade ‘pieces’, the building dominated the small half-timbered medieval hill town of 18th century Halifax. Unique in the UK, the huge fortress-like structure echoes the grandeur of a pre-industrialised age and the wealth and ambition of traders who once conducted their business there. During the Industrial Revolution the spread of new technologies and the advent of the great mills of the North saw the extinction of small scale cloth merchants, and the Piece Hall went into decline.

Whilst currently underused as an open civic space, the Council hopes to transform the Piece Hall into a vibrant European-style piazza in keeping with the Hall’s 18th Century Italian architecture. A space will also be created to explain the important role that the Hall has played in Yorkshire’s history.

The project, expected to total £16 million, will see the Piece Hall transformed into a ‘state of the art’ visitor destination boasting quality shops, restaurants and creative businesses. The centrepiece of the scheme is the upgrading of the courtyard into a vibrant town square, complete with fountains, stone seating and a large performance area – including a moveable stage – to be used for large scale events. The heritage value of the Piece Hall will be significantly enhanced through the addition of a new visitor centre and a state of the art education facility for schools and community groups.

Fiona Spiers, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund for Yorkshire and the Humber, said:

“We look forward to working further with Calderdale Council to develop their plans for a full award to restore this magnificent building, so that this historical and architectural gem of the North may be enjoyed by future generations.”

Commenting on the award, Leader of Calderdale Council Cllr Stephen Baines said:

“We are delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has given its initial support to our plans. The Piece Hall is a magnificent building and an important part of Halifax’s history. Originally built to house the prosperous cloth trade here 230 years ago, we now have an opportunity to ensure that the Piece Hall plays a significant part in the next chapter of Halifax’s story, with a pivotal role at the heart of the town’s cultural and economic life for many generations to come.”

Councillor Ian Cooper, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Safer and Stronger Communities commented:

“This is a terrific vote of confidence in our plans, giving us the opportunity to put the Piece Hall back at the heart of Calderdale’s rich cultural life where it belongs. Heritage Lottery Fund’s support is clear recognition of the inspired vision and hard work of the team and I look forward to seeing some very exciting plans take shape.”

The Piece Hall plans are part of a wider redevelopment in a historic part of Halifax that includes the Square Chapel Centre for the Arts. Plans are in place to extend Square Chapel to include a second auditorium which will be a multi-functional space to house workshops, cinema screenings and live music alongside a bigger café/bar area, ensuring visitors are well catered for, culturally and literally. There will also be a direct entrance to the centre from the Piece Hall as well as one on Blackledge, making a physical link between these two iconic buildings. Square Chapel’s thriving volunteer programme will be shared with the Piece Hall and will form the basis of volunteering opportunities aimed at bringing the heritage of the Piece Hall to life.

In September 2009 Calderdale Council submitted an application to Heritage Lottery Fund for £7m funding towards a £16m project to transform the building, supported by the regional development agency Yorkshire Forward. By investing in the building, we intend to ensure the Piece Hall enjoys a thriving future as a major regional and national visitor attraction.

The project will create a new Town Square for Halifax, by creating a level area in the centre of the courtyard and replacing the uneven cobbled surfaces. It will bring about the conservation of the historic fabric through a sensitive approach to repair and renewal. It will re-vitalise the economy within the building with a varied mix of independent retailers, and an ‘enterprise zone’ to encourage start-up businesses in the creative and digital technology sectors. The building will open during the evenings, and will see the introduction of a bustling night-time economy with high quality restaurants and bars. Last but not least, the project will transform opportunities for enjoyment and understanding of the heritage of this unique building with the creation of new Interpretation and Learning Centres, which will offer contemporary solutions to the communication of information, as well as displaying key artefacts from the Calderdale Museums Service’s extensive collections.

On January 15th a Heritage Lottery Fund Trustees and Expert Panel delegation visited the Piece Hall, to inspect the building and listen to presentations by the project team led by the Leader of Calderdale Council Stephen Baines and Chief Executive Owen Williams. A decision about the application is expected towards the end of February …