"As consumers increasingly place quality at a premium and treat renting as an active choice, we remain committed to creating sustainable developments that add value for both residents and the wider urban environment"
- Phil Jones - Placefirst
Placefirst has completed a £21m build-to-rent scheme in central Halifax, delivering 122 homes on the site of a former multi-storey car park. The development, known as Bolt Works, is the town’s first purpose-built rental community and marks the company’s most sustainable project to date.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony, attended by the Mayor of Calderdale, Ann Kingstone, marked the official unveiling of the scheme, which occupies a brownfield site off Cow Green that had been unused since the car park was deemed unsafe and demolished in 2016. The location was considered a key gateway into Halifax, and the council sought a use that reflected its prominence.
The development features a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments designed to meet the needs of modern renters. It includes photovoltaic panels, heat pumps, MVHR (mechanical ventilation with heat recovery) systems and a thermally efficient building envelope. These design elements aim to improve operational efficiency, reduce environmental impact and lower energy bills for residents.
Designed in collaboration with JM Architects, Bolt Works draws from Halifax’s architectural heritage while aligning with Calderdale Council’s broader regeneration efforts. The scheme supports the A629 phase 2 town centre project, which focuses on transforming travel and public spaces. It also complements the council’s wider objectives under the Calderdale The Next Chapter programme, which targets economic growth and social improvement through major investment.
“The completion of Bolt Works marks another milestone in our mission to provide much-needed rental homes in key regional locations," comments Placefirst's director of development, Phil Jones. "As consumers increasingly place quality at a premium and treat renting as an active choice, we remain committed to creating sustainable developments that add value for both residents and the wider urban environment."
"The project is a prime example of how underused town centre sites can be transformed into thriving, high-quality communities that align with local regeneration ambitions. We are proud to have worked in partnership with Calderdale Council to bring this vision to life and look forward to future opportunities in the region.”
Placefirst funded the project with support from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Brownfield Housing Fund and a loan from the Greater Manchester Pension Fund. Caddick Construction acted as the main contractor, delivering the scheme in partnership with consultants including JM Architects, Walker Sime, Roscoe, Hydrock, Stantec, TACE, Currie and Brown, and DEP Landscape Architecture.
“The new homes at Bolt Works support our priority for thriving towns and places, regenerating underused spaces and creating much-needed homes in a great central location," said Councillor Scott Patient, Calderdale Council’s cabinet member for climate action and housing. "The development contributes to wider regeneration work across Halifax and the Calderdale area, creating a place where people want to live, work, study and do business."
"I’m also pleased to see sustainability at the heart of the development, with innovative technologies used to improve energy efficiency and reduce the building’s environmental impact, supporting our climate objectives.”
The scheme’s delivery highlights the benefits of collaboration between the public and private sectors.
Tracy Brabin, mayor of West Yorkshire, said, “Converting disused brownfield sites into communities where people can thrive is a priority across West Yorkshire, and Placefirst’s new homes at Bolt Works in Halifax should be treated as a blueprint for successful public-private collaboration in meeting this goal.
"When we established the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Brownfield Housing Fund, it was with sustainable, considerate schemes like this in mind – and it’s great to see the funds being put to good use.”
Steve Ford, regional managing director at Caddick Construction Yorkshire and North-East, added, “The Bolt Works project has proved what’s possible when unused brownfield sites are redeveloped with the community at the forefront, and we are proud to have been a part of this fantastic development for Halifax.
"Caddick has been delivering first-class builds across the region for over 45 years, with a great number of those being new neighbourhoods and high-rise residential schemes, which makes us the perfect fit for this project. We’re pleased to have officially handed over Bolt Works to Placefirst to now welcome the first residents.”
The Halifax development follows Placefirst’s recent announcement of plans to deliver more than 500 build-to-rent homes in Leeds through a joint venture set to continue through to 2028.
