New homes in Halifax

Welcome to Halifax

Whether you’re exploring a museum, shopping at the local market or taking a walk in the park, there’s something for everyone to enjoy in the Yorkshire town of Halifax. Located close to Leeds and with good transport links, a new home in Halifax could tick all the right boxes for you.

A quick history

Some of the first references to Halifax date back to the 12th century, when it was known for being a religious town. Halifax Minster was dedicated to St John the Baptist and was completed around 1438, while its first organist, William Herschel, also happened to be the astronomer who discovered the planet Uranus.

The town has a gruesome past with the use of a gibbet, similar to the French guillotine, which was used to decapitate criminals until the middle of the 17th century. In the 19th century, Halifax became wealthy thanks to the wool, cotton and carpet trade, and is still a thriving town to this day.

Business and industry

One of the most well-known businesses in the local area is Halifax, the bank, which is headquartered in the town. Halifax also has ties with the confectionary industry, including a toffee factory which is now owned by Nestlé UK and makes Quality Street chocolates, and the largest co-operative for workers in Britain, Suma Wholefoods.

WM Morrison Supermarkets are based in Bradford nearby, along with Yorkshire Building Society, Vanquis Bank and Safestyle (UK), while Leeds also has a number of big employers including Asda (Stores and Money), Arla Foods and Jet2.com.

Things to do in the area

Halifax has some impressive architecture in and around the town, including Halifax Minster, the Town Hall and Piece Hall, with the latter hosting the annual Halifax Heritage Festival.

If you enjoy shopping, there are both high street and independent shops in the town centre, along with Borough Market which is open six days a week. For culture, science and history, the Bankfield Museum and Eureka! The National Children’s Museum are both located in the town.

When you need to get out and about in the great outdoors, you don’t need to travel far to find green space. The People’s Park is perfect for a gentle afternoon walk or picnic with the family, while the Peak District National Park and Ogden Water Country Park are only a short drive away from the town.

Halifax is also home to the Victoria Theatre, the Square Chapel and the Shay Stadium, where FC Halifax Town and Halifax RLFC play their home matches.

Travel and commuting

If you need to travel further afield for work, Halifax has very good transport links by both road and rail. The M62 is close-by, and the local train station connects the town to Bradford, Leeds, Manchester, York and Blackpool.

To get to neighbouring Bradford, the train journey takes around 15 minutes while the journey by car takes 20 minutes on average. For journeys to Huddersfield both the car and train take 25 minutes, while Leeds is 30 minutes by car or 35 minutes by train. If you’re travelling to Manchester, the journey takes 50 minutes by train or slightly longer by car.

If you’re going abroad, Leeds Bradford Airport is a 40-minute drive away, ideal for hassle-free holidays and business trips.