Construction has officially begun on the new Halifax Leisure Centre and swimming pool, with Tilbury Douglas commencing piling works on the former North Bridge Leisure Centre site in Calderdale.

Enabling works over recent months have included site surveys, investigations and partial demolition of the existing facility to prepare the ground for the new build.

The latest phase marks a key milestone in the project, with specialist piling equipment now on site to begin forming the building’s foundations.

An 81-tonne piling rig has been mobilised to carry out foundation works for the new leisure centre. More than 300 piles will be drilled up to 13 metres into the ground and filled with concrete to provide structural support for the development.

The works form the base stage of construction ahead of the main building frame progressing on site.

Council and contractor mark key delivery milestone

Calderdale Council said the start of construction represents a major step forward for the long-term leisure investment programme in Halifax.

Shelagh O’Neill, Calderdale Council’s Director for Regeneration and Strategy, said: “The start of construction is a significant step forward for the Halifax Leisure Centre project, which is on track to deliver top-class sports, health and wellbeing facilities for all of Calderdale’s diverse communities in 2028.

“Teams have been busy finalising the detailed designs and doing lots of complex preparation work on site to reach this point, and creating the foundations is a vital first step in the actual construction.”

William Kay, Regional Director – Yorkshire and the North East at Tilbury Douglas, said: “We’re pleased to see construction now underway on the Halifax Leisure Centre.

“Working in partnership with Calderdale Council, we are committed to delivering a high-quality, modern facility that will support health, wellbeing and community use for years to come. We look forward to seeing the project take shape over the coming months.”

Facilities planned for new Halifax Leisure Centre

Once complete, the leisure centre will include a 120-station fitness suite, three multi-use studios and a dedicated spinning studio, alongside an eight-court sports hall.

Aquatics provision will feature a 25-metre, six-lane swimming pool with spectator seating and a separate learner pool with viewing areas.

The development will also include a Changing Places facility, wellbeing spaces, a soft play and adventure area, plus a café and community area.