‘We are bursting at the seams’ – Knottingley residents say new 218-home housing redevelopment would push local services past breaking point

The plan submitted to Wakefield Council is to build the houses on land off Womersley Road.

A total of 35 people have submitted comments objecting to the development.

One said: “These houses would cripple the already struggling surgery. We just do not have the capacity for an influx of another 1,000 patients.”

Another comment said: “I am at a loss to understand how this development can be justified on the basis of there being insufficient infrastructure in Knottingley to support this application.

"The town already has a lack of amenities to support the current population and the land in question also supports local wildlife.

"Womersley Road already struggles to cope with the current volume of traffic passing through it and I cannot see how this proposal supports the overall sustainability of the town.

"There seems to be no compelling evidence to justify how this development can support a 'masterplan' for the area so I would like the council to reconsider this application please.”

A further comment read: “There has already been enough new houses built in and surrounding Knottingley with little to no attempt to improve the road networks, doctors, schools, or general access to residents already.

"There is a massive amount of traffic on Womersley Road as it is including HGV and general traffic, not to mention the traffic cutting through from Darington and the surrounding areas.

"We can't accommodate more houses in this town, we are already bursting at the seams with the schools and doctors in this area, struggling to get local children a place in their local schools, no appointments for the doctors as local surgeries are full to capacity.”

A design and access statement by Edward Architecture on behalf of the applicant Countryside Partnerships says: “Detailed and careful consideration has been given to these proposals that will create a development which respects the existing site and will provide a high quality and well considered place to live.”

A policy statement in support of the plan said: “[An independent] inspector concluded that the site is suitable for development and exceptional circumstances were demonstrated for its release from the green belt.”