Lake repair work to get under way at park

The public cannot access parts of the lake edge as it has been eroding for years and has become a safety hazard

Major repairs to damaged lake banks and footpaths at a West Yorkshire park are due to get under way next week.

Wakefield Council agreed to invest £1.3m for repairs to the lake at Pontefract Park in 2021, but the work was delayed after it was reclassified as a reservoir due to its size.

Members of the public cannot currently access parts of the lake's perimeter because sections of its edge have become a hazard.

A planning application for repairs to walls and paths by the lake was approved by the council last month.

A spillway and safety fencing would also be erected during the works which were due to start on Monday 18 November, the council said.

They were expected to be to completed by spring next year, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

'Improve safety'

Jack Hemingway, cabinet member for environment and climate change, said: "We’re pleased this repair work can now get started as I know parts of the lake’s edge are already inaccessible.

"It will improve safety around the lake and maintain it for future generations to enjoy."

Pontefract Park is the largest urban park in the Wakefield district.

It is owned and managed by Wakefield Council and Pontefract Park Race Company, with the racecourse surrounding the lake.

The council’s licensing committee acts as park trustees.

Hemingway said: "While access to the lake will be closed, the park area and racecourse will be unaffected.

"We have made the decision to carry out the work during the winter months, outside the horse racing season and when the park is quieter, to minimise disruption."

The council would do "everything we can to make sure the work is completed as quickly as possible", he added.

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