Major housing developments in Pontefract, Altofts and Hemsworth recommended for planning approval

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Three large scale housing developments in the Wakefield district have been recommended for approval.

Wakefield Council’s planning and highways committee will meet next week to decide on plans for 260 homes east of Wakefield Road in Hemsworth, 211 homes between Ackworth Road and Hardwick Road in Pontefract, and 83 homes off Wharfdale Drive in Altofts.

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All three developments, which were met with hundreds of objection, have been recommended for approval.

A total of 251 objections have been received to the outline plan for Hemsworth development over concerns the town does not have sufficient services, GPs, dentists, amenities, school places, as well as traffic congestion issues.

The Hemsworth development.The Hemsworth development.
The Hemsworth development.

A case officer report by planning officers recommended the development for approval, subject to conditions.

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It said: “The outline proposal provides a suitable access for up to 260 dwellings in combination with the proposed highway enhancements on the local highway network.

"The design and layout of the scheme has the potential to result in a high standard of housing environment by virtue of the proposed layout, scale, design, and landscaping that would protect the amenity of existing residents in accordance with the policy and guidance discussed in the above report which meets the requirements of the adopted local plan policies.”

Full planning permission was sought for the residential development of 211 homes, with public open space, landscaping and associated infrastructure, between Ackworth Road and Hardwick Road in Pontefract.

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Public open space will be made available as part of the development, while routes to Vale Head Park and Hemsworth Water Park, which both sit to the north of the site, will be explored to improve access to these local leisure facilities.Public open space will be made available as part of the development, while routes to Vale Head Park and Hemsworth Water Park, which both sit to the north of the site, will be explored to improve access to these local leisure facilities.
Public open space will be made available as part of the development, while routes to Vale Head Park and Hemsworth Water Park, which both sit to the north of the site, will be explored to improve access to these local leisure facilities.

A total of 187 objections were received in total to the scheme, although this was over two periods of consultation and some residents commented more than once, the council said.

A case officer report recommended the plans for approval.

A further application for full planning permission for the housing development in Altofts, which would consist of 83 homes with a mix of bungalows, and one, two, three and four-bed homes, was also recommended for approval.

A total of 152 letters of objection to the development have been received, including objections from Altofts and Whitwood councillor Jo Hepworth, and Normanton Town Council.

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Plans for major residential development of 260 homes at an 11-hectare site to the east of Wakefield Road, Hemworth, have been recommended for approval.Plans for major residential development of 260 homes at an 11-hectare site to the east of Wakefield Road, Hemworth, have been recommended for approval.
Plans for major residential development of 260 homes at an 11-hectare site to the east of Wakefield Road, Hemworth, have been recommended for approval.

Coun Hepworth said: “Since becoming the councillor for the ward I have had numerous residents’ complaints about the dangerous entrance and exit into the estate due to cars parking there, while this has been slightly alleviated by the yellow lines at the entrance to the estate it is still difficult to get onto the estate when residents park there.

"There will also be the additional traffic onto Church Road which is difficult to see due to the cars parked on both sides of the road.”

The application was recommended for approval subject to conditions.

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A case officer report said: “The proposed development is acceptable in principle and subject to the imposition of planning conditions, there are no technical reasons to withhold planning permission.”

A further application to demolish an existing building and build a new home at Manor Farm, located off Watchit Hole Lane in Thorpe Audlin was rejected over concerns it would encroach on the green belt.

A case officer report said: “The application site is not considered to be located within a village, and the proposed dwelling within the green belt would therefore represent inappropriate development.

"The considerations put forward in support of the development are considered not to amount to very special circumstances that clearly outweigh the harm to the green belt.”

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