Town Teams - Sowerby Bridge - "Creating a new Town Quarter"

Sowerby Bridge is a market town on the outskirts of Halifax, located at the eastern gateway to the Upper Calder Valley. The Rivers Calder and Ryburn meet under the impressive bridge in the heart of the town, close to the famous Town Hall, only half of which remains.

Background
Sowerby Bridge grew around a crossing point on the Rivers Calder and Ryburn. The important weaving and spinning villages at the time were Sowerby and Norland (on the tops).

Subsequently, Sowerby Bridge continued to grow as weaving moved from the tops to the valley floor as mills were built on the banks of the River Calder.

As with the other valley towns, manufacturing declined during the mid-twentieth century due to competition from abroad. The population of the town decreased and a quarter of its shops closed. The market struggles to be viable.

In recent years, a series of canalside projects have been undertaken in the town acting as catalysts for future regeneration. Since the reopening of the Rochdale Canal in 2002, the town boasts the deepest lock in the country.

The Wharf is a mixed-use project currently nearing completion that includes the refurbishment of a collection of old mill buildings surrounding the canal basin. The warehouses contain a thriving mix of business and tourist uses, including offices, pubs, restaurants and narrow boats for hire for trips along the Valley.

The Town Centre
The area between the station and Wharf Street is currently neglected and underutilised. There are many industrial buildings situated on Holmes Road between the station and the River Calder and a poor quality, rusty iron footbridge crosses the river.

A New Bridge for Sowerby Bridge
The industrial uses on Holmes Road could be relocated and the existing industrial buildings demolished or restored. A new, spectacular pedestrian footbridge could cross the river and link Wharf Street to the station. A new heart for the town could then be created away from the busy A58 and closer to the river and station.

The Canalside and the Deepest Lock
Backs of shops and the Kwik Save car park overlook the canal and the deepest lock basin in the country, Tuel Lane Lock. On the north side of the canal is a large superstore car park. There are poor links between Wharf Street and the canal and along the canal itself. Poor quality surface car parking is blighting an area with the potential to be a major tourist attraction for the town.

A Mixed-use Area along the Canal
There could be a new, fine grain mixed-use area along the canal with a new public space linking the canal to Wharf Street, where the public toilets are currently located.

Walsden · Todmorden · Hebden Bridge · Mytholmroyd · Sowerby Bridge