Piece Hall makeover hopes grow as Lottery chiefs approve plans

In March, Calderdale Council was awarded 239,700 in development funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to work up plans for the project.

Since then the authority has worked with HLF on the proposals and Lottery chiefs have approved the development plans, which it is hoped will help regenerate the town.

The council now has up to 18 months to submit a more detailed application to HLF for the full grant award of 7m.

The Piece Hall is one of the most architecturally significant buildings in Yorkshire and of national importance.

The council's Cabinet member for safer and stronger communities, Ian Cooper, said: "We want this building to give Halifax the heart it deserves and to make sure that the town's most iconic building has a strong, viable future.

"A bid of this size is a complex process, and we are working hard with the Heritage Lottery Fund to ensure it has the maximum possible chance of success.

"We will be working with local shop owners, residents and visitors to ensure the whole community is involved and no detail is missed."

While 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.

The project, expected to cost a total of 16m, will create a visitor destination, boasting quality shops, restaurants and creative businesses.

The centrepiece of the scheme is the upgrading of the courtyard into a town square complete with fountains, stone seating and a large performance area, including a moveable stage, to be used for large events.

Its heritage value will be improved through the addition of a new visitor centre and a major education facility for schools and community groups.

Council chiefs hope that the project will be a major driving force behind the economic regeneration of Halifax, aiming to put the architectural, cultural and social heritage of the Piece Hall back on the regional and national stage.

The leader of Calderdale Council, Stephen Baines said: "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."

The head of the Heritage Lottery Fund for Yorkshire and the Humber, Fiona Spiers, 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."

The Piece Hall plans are part of a wider redevelopment in a historic part of Halifax that also 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 cafe/bar area.

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 the two iconic buildings.