City Fields, Wakefield: Council set to agree Barratt Homes land sale for 250 new houses

The deal is the second in a series of developments planned for local-authority owned land at City Fields. Permission has already been granted to build the houses across a 30-acre site between Neil Fox Way and the Aire and Calder Navigation.

Wakefield Council submitted the planning application, approved in October last year, with a view to selling the site to a developer to complete the project. The land was then put on the open market and 13 developers expressed an interest in the purchase.

The council’s cabinet members have been asked to agree to the disposal of the land to Barratt Homes ahead of a meeting on November 12. Financial details of the sale have not been made public.

The council owns around 60 of 375 acres of land earmarked for development at City Fields. Around 2,500 homes are expected to have been built when major urban expansion to the east of the city is complete.

A condition of the Barratt Homes sale is that 75 affordable homes will be included the scheme.

A report to councillors says: “The scheme will create its own micro economy and jobs and will deliver much-needed new homes for existing and new residents of Wakefield.

The document adds: “The scheme will provide 30 per cent affordable home on site. Access to affordable and decent housing, in particular affordable rented accommodation, disproportionately impacts on vulnerable people and families, including disabled people, young people, single parents and people from ethnic minorities.”

The council’s planning and highways committee last year voted in favour of the development by the narrowest of margins after concerns were raised over loss of wildlife.

Objecting to the plans, Kathryn Pybus, who lives at Stanley Ferry boat site, said: “Local councils have a duty to preserve and enhance biodiversity if possible. Biodiversity at City Fields has not been preserved, let alone enhanced.”

A planning officer’s report at the time said any developer wanting to take on the project would have to pay £197,000 to compensate for loss of habitats and to encourage biodiversity.

The plan was approved by five votes to four after committee chair Darren Byford used his casting vote in favour of the new homes.

A report said at the time: “The proposal is considered to constitute sustainable development.”

Council land at City Fields has been divided into five phases for the purposes of submitting planning applications.

In March, the council agreed to sell the first phase to Taylor Wimpey to enable 135 homes to be built.