Long-awaited community amenities move step closer

The amenities would support more than 2,500 households

A long-awaited project to build shops, medical centres and leisure facilities to support new homes in West Yorkshire has moved forward.

Residents in Wakefield's City Fields development were told five years ago that a district centre with those amenities would be built, to serve the new community of more than 2,500 properties.

Planning permission was granted in 2020 for the site off Neil Fox Way, but the contractor went into administration.

A new application submitted by Cityfields (Wakefield) Limited, which sought a minor amendment to the original plans, has been approved by planning officers at Wakefield Council.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service reports little progress on construction has been made since Cityfields (Wakefield) Limited, then known as De Veer Estates, announced that construction on the site had begun in April 2022.

In January, local councillors called on the authority to consider a compulsory purchase order (CPO) on the land in a bid to speed up building.

But work now looks set to resume after planners gave the go-ahead for the "mixed-use district centre".

The planning permission still allows the site to be used for retail premises, food outlets, medical services, nursery facilities, offices, a pub, restaurant and a drive-thru coffee unit.

A document submitted by Cityfields said the district centre was "the 'missing piece of the jigsaw" for the development.

'Decisive action'

Explaining the reason for the new application, the company said the retail and leisure industry had "rapidly evolved".

"Consequently, scheme amendments are required to ensure the development is market facing, viable and can be delivered in the short term."

A planning officer said the proposal was considered to be a "non-material change" to the previously approved plan.

Speaking earlier this year, councillor Jack Hemingway, who represents the Stanley & Outwood East ward on Wakefield Council, called for action on the site.

"If we don't see some decisive action this year then we will be calling upon the council to step in and take a much more active approach, whether that means looking at a CPO or something like that.

"We need these facilities for our residents. They are absolutely justified in their complaints."

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