Altofts Hall Farm: Anger as controversial plan to build more than 400 village homes is approved

Taylor Wimpey was granted permission to carry out the development at Altofts Hall Farm despite pleas from residents and councillors for it to be rejected.

The properties will be built across 18 hectares of former greenbelt land off Station Road, Altofts. More than 1,000 residents objected to the scheme and over 2,000 signed a petition calling for Wakefield Council to turn it down. The application was approved by a majority for four votes to three, with one councillor abstaining.

Angry comments were directed towards committee members and officers from the public gallery as the scheme was granted.

One shouted: “It’s an absolute joke. You clearly have no concern for us whatsoever.” Another said: “You have lost the faith of the entire Altofts community.”

Opponents claim the new homes will put local services under strain and create traffic dangers in the village.

Claire Turner, of Altofts Community Action Group, told the meeting at Wakefield Town Hall: “The scale of this development is a quarter of the size of the village and is not in keeping with the character of the village.

“It will put extra pressure on existing traffic congestion, air pollution, GP’s and dental provision. It is overbearing, out of scale and out of character in terms of its appearance compared with existing houses within the vicinity.”

Ms Turner told the meeting how a century-old “landmark” lime tree would also be felled to make way for an access road onto the site despite a preservation order being placed on it in 2021.

She added: “This development will be the end of Altofts as a village, completely taking away its character and having a detrimental impact on existing residents. It will turn Altofts into a congested, polluted and overgrown urban sprawl. The residents of Altofts urge that you reject these proposals.”

Josie Pritchard, councillor for Altofts and Whitwood, and Mark Jennings, of Normanton Town Council, also spoke against the plan.

Coun Pritchard said: “There is a great deal of public concern regarding this application. Public concern is a material consideration and, as such, I would ask the committee to reject this application.

“There will be significant highway safety issues on Station Road and Altofts Road. The council must have regard for local amenity and the local environment.”

Stuart Natkus spoke in favour of the scheme on behalf of Taylor Wimpey.

He said the company had worked closely with the council on the scheme, which complied with national and local planning policies.

Mr Natkus said: “The discussions with officers have been on how we can deliver a fantastic scheme.”

A mix of homes will be built, including apartments and bungalows, plus two, three and four-bed houses. The plan includes building a new access road into the site. Planning officers said the scheme was considered to be “sustainable development.”

A report said: “The design and layout of the scheme would result in a high standard of housing environment by virtue of the proposed layout, scale, design, and landscaping that would protect the amenity of existing residents.”

Committee members raised concerns over scale of the development.

Councillor Peter Girt said: “I just don’t really understanding why this site was chosen as suitable for housing. There seems to be so many problems with it. It seems we are just brushing over things just so this development can go ahead. I don’t understand why this site has even been chosen as a suitable site for a development of this size.”

The site was taken out of the greenbelt and earmarked for housing in the council’s Local Plan, which came into effect in January.

Councillor Steve Tulley said: “We have to have a Local Plan. But it doesn’t mean to say we have to cram every single house, garage and rabbit hutch on to a particular piece of land.

“It’s a massively overdeveloped piece of land.”

After the meeting, a spokesperson for Taylor Wimpey said: “We are pleased to have received planning consent for our proposals for a new community at Altofts Hall Farm.

“The site is allocated for housing in Wakefield Council’s Local Plan and our proposal is for a development of much-needed housing, including 41 affordable homes, 12 acres of public open space, enhanced public rights of way and improvements to local sustainable travel.

“The planning consent will see us contribute over £1.6 million to Wakefield Council towards improvements in local and city-wide infrastructure. Our application was carefully created following close consultation with the local community, Wakefield Council and other key stakeholders.

“We are confident that our proposals address key factors including sustainability, public amenity and wellbeing beyond the council’s policy requirements, and we are grateful for the time taken by members of the planning committee to consider our proposals.”