Coronavirus vaccine trials proposal in Wakefield

An application has been sent to Wakefield Council's planning department to convert the first floor office at Navigation Walk, off Doncaster Road.

Spectrum Community Health CIC - a not-for-profit social enterprise to deliver services on behalf of the NHS - is behind the plans.

A report into the proposals reads: "The proposed change of use will provide an essential facility to try and assist in the development of a coronavirus vaccine.

"In response to the global pandemic, central government has acknowledged the importance of finding sufficient space for such uses and that the planning system must be suitably flexible to accommodate them.

"The building is used solely as offices at the moment for management and administrative operations. All health care services are provided elsewhere.

"Initially, the intention is that the space will be used exclusively for trials of a vaccine against coronavirus.

"In the future, the intention is that the use as a vaccine testing facility will continue with a focus on finding vaccines for other illnesses.

"Whilst the proposed use is of a clinical nature, it is specifically for vaccine testing. It would not be a clinic where health care services are provided.

"It is anticipated that the use would generate 30 additional jobs over and above the existing office use in the rest of the building.

Spectrum says that, if approved, there would be around 80 visitors a day to the site.

With few parking spaces available on the site, visitors would be expected to park in the nearby council car park.

A decision on the plans will be made at a later date.