Claims elderly people 'will be denied peace and quiet' if WDH homes plan in South Elmsall goes ahead

Wakefield District Housing (WDH) want to knock Mellwood House in South Elmsall down and build 18 new properties, only four of which will be bungalows.

WDH says the proposal will help provide affordable housing for the area.

But local councillor Steve Tulley attacked the plans and said they would be "out of keeping" with the surrounding estate, which is mainly populated by the older generations.

He acknowledged that Mellwood House itself is "past its sell-by date", but said he was disappointed by a lack of bungalows in the new plans.

Of the 14 proposed houses, eight will be two-bed properties, five will be three-bed and one will be four-bed.

Each home will have parking space for at least two cars.

Coun Tulley said: "My biggest postbag issue isn't elderly residents coming to me and saying, "Can you get me a bigger house?"

"They're coming to me and asking for help finding a bungalow or a home that's specially adapted to suit their needs.

"If we're going to build family homes then fine, but let's find somewhere suitable for them.

"We don't want it slap bang in the middle of an estate where elderly people are wanting a bit of peace and quiet in their twilight years.

"I'm an elderly resident these days and I'd want some tranquility if I lived there.

"We don't want three and four bed homes with these huge driveways for two or three cars per home in that area."

In response, WDH's executive director of investment, Sue Young, said: "At WDH, we want to create more confident and inclusive communities across the district.

"The redevelopment of Mellwood House will allow us to provide a new development in an area where housing for families is in demand.

"This development includes new style bungalows which provide flexible living options for a range of tenants, including those who may need a bit more support.

"In South Elmsall, we have two independent living schemes, which have recently seen multimillion-pound redevelopments, which also provide modern, safe homes for older and vulnerable residents in the local area."

A decision on whether or not to approve the plans is likely to be made early next year.

Local Democracy Reporting Service