A £45M transformation plan has been unveiled for a West Yorkshire rail station.

Ideas have been unveiled for the gateway to Halifax Station to be transformed.

While it’s early days for the project, outline plans show the Halifax Station Gateway masterplan includes:

- Demolition of the current, modern station building and station approach bridge over Discovery Road from the main road;

- Development of a new, two storey building with access provided at platform level;

- Re-opening the original ‘1855 building’ for commercial uses. It would require the relocation of the current Eureka! nursery to new, purpose built facility;

- Re-opening of the disused third platform fronting the 1855 building (including associated track and signaling works);

- Re-instatement of Navigation Road beneath the station to form an east-west link under the railway;

- Creation of a ‘Station Gardens’ outside the 1855 building, linking the new station to Eureka!, enhanced car parking, a new bus-rail interchange and landscaping.

The cost break down shows the station access improvements could top £7.4m and will be funded through the West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund (WY+TF).

A bus and rail interchange near the station could cost £1.9m.

Halifax Station revamp masterplan

Water Lane Works would see un-used bridges removed to open up the access to the area east of the railway. That would cost around £800,000.

The biggest phase would be the Station Gateway which could top £25m. Funding would come from WY+TF.

Other linked work could top £12m and include redevelopment to the east side of the railway, landscaping and a multi-storey car park. Funding would have to be found.

Councillors on the authority’s Economy and Investment Panel will have to endorse the masterplan so an outline business case can be developed.

Clr Barry Collins, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development, said: “The train station is an important part of our town – many commuters rely on it to get to and from work every day, residents use it to visit friends and family, people use it to do business and for many tourists it’s the first place that they see when they visit.

“We have a fabulous town with a huge amount of current and planned regeneration, so it’s vital to open it up to more people through rail and other transport improvements.

Clr Barry Collins, Calderdale deputy leader & Cabinet member for economy and environment

“The council is keen to move the station upgrade plans forward, as they’re an important part of our work to ensure Halifax remains a place where businesses want to invest and people want to live, work and visit.”

West Yorkshire Combined Authority - a body of all West Yorkshire councils - has granted £160,000 to fund work on the business case.

The authority says improving the station realm is inter-related to plans to improve the A629 Huddersfield to Halifax corridor and is part of regeneration around the area of the town centre, with the transformation of the nearby Piece Hall.