Decide West Yorkshire Sports and Social Club's future now, Conservative councillor Nadeem Ahmed says

A Conservative councillor has called for the future of a popular community venue to be decided quickly, after years of uncertainty.
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The club faces the prospect of being moved to a new site, probably in nearby Walton, if the homes are approved.

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Similar proposals have been approved twice before by Wakefield Council, but on both occasions planning permission expired before any work was done.

Coun Ahmed accused the council of "deliberately stalling" on the application, with the club's future in limbo.Coun Ahmed accused the council of "deliberately stalling" on the application, with the club's future in limbo.
Coun Ahmed accused the council of "deliberately stalling" on the application, with the club's future in limbo.

The proposals are now back for a third time, though the council said on Friday it was talking to Persimmon to "identify" whether or not the application will proceed.

The sports and social club is run by trustees on a lease from the council, which owns the land.

However, it's been a year since the latest proposals were submitted and Wakefield South councillor Nadeem Ahmed says residents wanted answers.

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He restated his belief that the application should be rejected.

The club would have to relocate if the plans go ahead.The club would have to relocate if the plans go ahead.
The club would have to relocate if the plans go ahead.

Coun Ahmed said: "I’ve had dozens of texts and emails about this and I’ve come to the end of my tether on it.

"The council should either say that they are going to do it or not going to do it.

"There’s human rights cases that have been decided quicker than this.

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"We've had enough development in Wakefield and we’ve nicked enough green belt land, especially around the eastern relief road."

Coun Ahmed said he was "disappointed and angry" at the council's "stalling" over the matter.

Raising the issue in a Facebook post, he added: "On behalf of the residents of my ward I am demanding an answer on the future of the club - the leadership on the council must now provide this."

Objectors claim the plans themselves are outdated, having been originally conceived in 2013 before the sprawling City Fields estate was built to the east of Wakefield.

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They suggest therefore that the need for new housing is now far less pressing than it was then.

A total of 264 people have come out against the plans on the council's planning portal, with three expressing support for the scheme.

Responding to Coun Ahmed's comment, Glynn Humphries, the council's service director for communities, said: "We are working with Persimmon to identify whether the current planning application will proceed.

"If it does not, then we will consider the future of the site further.”

Local Democracy Reporting Service