Residents' anger as "pre-war" back-to-back terrace plans come forward again

Plans to evolve five townhouses into 10 back-to-backs on St Faith's Manor, just off Aberford Road and near Pinderfields Hospital, were knocked back last summer amid claims the concept harked back to "pre-war" days.

Local councillors were also concerned about the prospect of young children being hit by cars on the gated estate.

But now developers Linfit Investments have submitted two sets of new proposals, to turn convert the five homes into either 10 or 12 new properties.

But people on the estate remain devoutly against the scheme and say it will slash their own space for parking.

Objecting to 10-house plan on the Wakefield Council's planning portal, one resident said: "With back-to-back systems outdated and dangerous, and councillors not wanting to commit to such compromises and low standards of living in the Wakefield region, this application does nothing to resolve any of the safety fears originally stated.

"In fact, it heightens safety worries as car parking spaces are crammed in at the development in an attempt to meet the required numbers of car parking spaces."

Another wrote: "A severe lack of consideration has been shown to us, as existing residents, and with the addition of up to and a minimum of 20 cars, with no room for expansion of the previous parking, will create safety concerns and potential conflict regarding allowed use of spaces should the application be approved."

Linfit has pledged to install three speed bumps on the estate and create patches of grass in front of each property, in a bid to address concerns about road safety.

Although residents say the applications are otherwise unchanged from the one that was turned down last July, council officers have suggested both the 10 and 12-house plans be approved.

This would give Linfit flexibility to pursue whichever scheme they want.

In a report going before councillors on Thursday, where the schemes will be debated, officers said: "In terms of the previous decision which saw the application for 10 town houses refused on the lack of a safe and suitable transition between the access road and dwellings, it is considered the proposal overcomes this concern by providing a buffer from the front door in the form of a private garden to the front of each dwelling

They added: "Reference has been made to the use of parking spaces which according to the comments received are due to be transferred to the existing residents. This is a private matter between those parties involved."

Local Democracy Reporting Service