Plans unveiled to repair damaged park lake

Parts of the lake are cordoned off for safety reasons

Plans have been unveiled to repair the crumbling walls and paths around a lake in a West Yorkshire park.

The public is currently unable to access part of the lake perimeter in Pontefract Park, as it has become a hazard.

Wakefield Council agreed to invest £1.3m to repair the damage in 2021, but the work was delayed due to legislation changes which reclassified the lake as a reservoir due to its size.

A planning application has now been submitted to carry out the repairs, which also include building a spillway and putting up safety fencing.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, a report said: "The walls and paths around the lake have fallen into disrepair with many of the walls now rotating into the lake, creating safety issues and making the lake less attractive to users.

"A public safety risk assessment has also identified the need for additional safety measures around the lake, including strategic use of fences and measures to facilitate escape from the water."

It is hoped all footpaths surrounding the lake with be reopened once the work is completed.

The work is part of a masterplan for Pontefract which aims to establish the town as a “cultural destination” by 2028.

'Public asset'

The report added: "Pontefract Park is highlighted as playing a vital role in offering the local public health and wellbeing lifestyle benefits.

"It also contributes to helping the wider promotion of the town’s local and historical culture.

"The improvement works are intended to rejuvenate the function and durability of the locally loved public asset."

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

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

The council’s licensing committee act as park trustees.

Tim Johnson, the council’s green space and countryside manager, previously said the work was expected to be carried out during the 2024/25 winter period.

Mr Johnson told a licensing committee meeting last November: "We were looking to do the work outside the racing season because, obviously, it would put a risk to racing at the site."

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.