Councillor says residents are ‘dismayed’ at £1m plan to demolish historic Heath Common golf house to build traveller site

Coun David Dagger criticised the decision to use public money to purchase the Old Golf House building on Heath Common.

Senior councillors are pressing ahead with the controversial plan which has been met with criticism from local councillors and residents groups.

The Council wants to acquire the 125-year-old property as it faces strict deadlines to provide more permanent pitches for the local traveller community.David Dagger, Labour Councillor for Normanton, made the comments at a full council meeting.

In a question to Darren Byford, Cabinet member for regeneration, economic growth and property, he said: “My constituents are dismayed at the decision by Cabinet to acquire the former golf house on Heath Common, a building of local historical value.

“The Council proposes to acquire this building for £1m.

“This is three-and-a-half times the current market value of that particular property.

“And what do they want to do? They want to knock it down.

“My constituents want to know why they were not consulted once a confidential report became public and how the council can justify spending public money on such an acquisition when faced with unprecedented budget challenges in this current financial climate.”

Tory councillors applauded after Coun Dagger’s question.

Coun Byford, replied: “The rationale for the expenditure was fully set out in the Cabinet report which was made public and expenditure is necessary to fulfil the statutory duties of this travelling community.”

The Council says it is legally obliged to accommodate travelling families.

Purchasing the Old Golf House would allow the Council to lift a restrictive covenant prohibiting development on nearby land.

It would mean an extension to the existing Heath Common traveller site could then go ahead, costing at least £5.8m.

Wakefield Council has not yet made the financial details of the Old Golf House purchase publicly available.

But it is understood that it has agreed to buy the house, currently a private residence, for £475,000, plus stamp duty and “associated fees”.

It is also understood that the property owners will be offered an interest-free ‘relocation loan’ of £475,000 as part of the deal, along with “reasonable moving costs” of £10,000.

Rightmove.co.uk suggests the current market value of the Old Golf House is in the region of £268,000.

According to Land Registry figures, it last sold for £210,000 in May 2019.

It is believed demolition of the property would cost around £100,000.

The Council expects a further £200,000 will be needed to build a news access road to the site.