Planning application submitted for 66 new homes at Wakefield's City Fields housing development

The planning application represents part of the next stage in the project – a 375-hectare new development of 2,500 homes, a new primary school, parkland and other amenities – if approved.

The site is approximately 2.59 hectares in size and is currently a private field.

It slopes gently from south to north, with trees and hedgerow to the north, the Neil Fox Way relief road to the south, and a previous part of the City Fields development to the east.

The initial plan for this stage of the development was 77 homes but that number was reduced as the types of home were changed.

The plan includes homes ranging from two to five beds.

Regarding local authorities’ commitments to build more homes, a planning statement submitted to Wakefield Council says: “Overall, the development will deliver much needed new homes in a sustainable location and will meet the government’s housing objectives.

"It is considered that the application proposals will create a sustainable, quality and accessible development which will provide significant benefits to Wakefield and the wider district area.”

A design and access statement by developer Miller Homes says: “It has been demonstrated through the character study that the scheme will enhance the surrounding area in aesthetic, landscape and ecological terms and the houses will be built to exceptional quality.

"We therefore request that positive and expeditious consideration is given to this application, to enable this important site to be implemented and deliver much needed residential development and affordable housing.”

In December last year councillors reconsidered a plan at the site that threatened to destroy a woodland created by Wakefield schoolchildren.

Hundreds of trees planted by youngsters to create the Park Hill Woodland on the site of a former mine two decades ago were saved under the redrawn scheme.

In 2021 Bridge Homes was given planning permission to build 116 homes as part of City Fields.

But more than 1,200 people added their names to an online petition to save the trees on the former Parkhill Colliery land, off Park Lodge Lane, in Eastmoor.

Following the controversy the council agreed to hold talks with the developer, leading to the scheme being withdrawn and plans re-submitted.