City Fields: Developer must pay almost £1m to fund extra school places if 250 new homes plan is approved

Councillors in Wakefield are being asked to approve a second phase of major housing development on local authority land at City Fields.

Wakefield Council has submitted the application with a view to selling the 14-hectare site, off Neil Fox Way, to a developer to complete the project.

A report says any developer would be required to pay a community infrastructure levy (CIL) of £997,000 to fund extra school places.

It is forecast that the new homes will generate a shortfall of 52 primary and 17 secondary school places.

CIL charges are imposed by local authorities on new development to deliver the infrastructure needed to support the local area.

Any developer would also be required to pay £129,000 fo help fund local bus services.

The council’s planning and highways community will consider the application at a meeting on October 18.

Proposals include building a range of two, three and four bed properties.

The scheme also includes building 75 affordable homes for rent or shared ownership.

Plans to build 135 homes on adjacent council-owned land were approved in August.

Two other large-scale projects are also planned nearby.

The site is also close to The Lodge housing development which has recently been completed by Miller Homes.

The main vehicle access to the site is off Neil Fox Way, with a secondary access connecting to the Miller Homes development.

Trees at the site will be retained but there are no plans to provide play areas.

Footpaths across the site linking to the Aire and Calder canal and Southern Washlands nature reserve will also be kept.

Four people have objected to the plan with concerns over the impact on wildlife and risk of flooding.

The report says the The Environment Agency made an objection to initial plans but withdrew it after a flood risk assessment was submitted.

Recommending approval, the report says: “The proposed development is considered to be acceptable in principle and, subject to the imposition of planning conditions, there are considered to be no technical reasons to withhold planning permission.

“The proposal is considered to constitute sustainable development.”