Dean Clough, the award-winning, 22-acre, mixed use heritage site in Halifax, has installed new superfast EV charging infrastructure that has already become one of the most popular locations in the UK for its operator.
A new 500kVA connection was installed at Dean Clough earlier this year, powering 8 new ultra rapid charging bays, representing an investment of more than £1 million. It is currently the only location in Calderdale to offer superfast charging with the nearest alternative being Hartshead Moor Service Station on the M62 motorway. The site is generating enough charges to power 2500km of EV driving daily having a huge impact in reducing car emissions on roads and motorways.
According to Mer, which operates the charge points, Dean Clough is already within the top five highest-performing sites on its network of 148 locations. Within the first two months of operation, the charging stations have powered enough e-miles to drive over three times around the circumference of the Earth, according to Mer’s data. That’s equivalent to driving the full length of the UK 100 times, or from London to Dean Clough 415 times.
Dean Clough is an important heritage site in Halifax that was once home to the world’s largest carpet manufacturer. Stretching over half a mile, it houses 16 magnificent Grade II listed Victorian mill buildings that have been restored over the last 40 years to provide modern spaces for business and leisure uses.
The site is a popular business location, destination and visitor attraction. Is it home to more than 150 organisations employing around 3,500 people, as well as attracting visitors, to its numerous art galleries, theatre, event spaces and other leisure attractions.
Its vast car parks provide 1,300 spaces and the venue is often utilised as a backdrop for markets, displays, and events including the forthcoming Calderdale Pride Festival where over 20,000 people are expected to gather this summer.
Jeremy Hall, Chairman and Managing Director at Dean Clough, said,
“We are delighted to see that our superfast charging hub is being so well utilised, not just by our occupiers, but also the local residential community and users from as far as Leeds.
“One of the founding principles at Dean Clough is about reuse, and especially the value of reuse in terms of the carbon benefits. We have a wonderful asset in the shape of these magnificent buildings that we’ve been given an opportunity to reuse and make relevant and vibrant for the community we live and work in.
This philosophy extends to modernising the site’s facilities while maintaining its historic character because our ethos is very much about the forward-looking element of the site and its amenities.
“As electric vehicles continue to gain momentum, Dean Clough stands as a powerful example of how historic sites can embrace new technologies while honouring their heritage, providing essential infrastructure that supports both the local community and the transition to a more sustainable future.”
Mer is a European electric vehicle charging solutions company owned by Statkraft, Europe’s largest renewable energy producer. It has public and business charge points all over the UK.
Alex Hinchcliffe, UK Managing Director at Mer, said,
“What really put Dean Clough on the map as a location for EV charge points was its diversity in terms of demographics and amenities. It’s got its own micro population of workplace, retail, food and beverage, gym and fitness, and hotel accommodation.
“Another crucial factor was the local housing landscape. The high density of terraced housing in the Calderdale area presents limited scope for people to install at home chargers. The area has a general lack of EV charging facilities, and Mer’s eight ultra-fast charge points more than doubled the existing EV charging infrastructure.
“When we put chargers centrally into an environment where they become accessible to residents, it removes the barriers to owning an EV. It has the beneficial impact of stimulating visitors to the shops, cafes, businesses and all the other amenities on a commercial site.”
Dean Clough is located on the edge of Halifax town centre, between Leeds and Manchester, and just 15 minutes from the M62 with direct train links to Leeds, Manchester, York and London.