Wakefield village residents object to planning application for 164 homes
An outline planning application for 164 homes in a Wakefield district village has been met with opposition from residents.
A total of 38 residents have lodged objection to the outline plans for land at Pope Street in Altofts.
A planning statement supplied on behalf of the applicant says: We consider that the proposed development will bring numerous tangible public and planning benefits, to which varying degrees of weight should be given, and collectively contribute favourably.
"The future occupiers’ expenditure in the locality which will benefit the local economy and the scheme will bring economic benefits relating to construction value, employment and training skills initiatives, new homes bonus and council tax income. Also, local employment opportunities during the construction phase.”
But residents raised concerns about local infrastructure being stretched.
One person who commented said: “I am objecting to the land being built on until you can assure me there will be extra schools/doctors built to accommodate the extra influx of people into the area.
“I have lived in Altofts for over 30 years and the road infrastructure is not capable of taking the traffic we already have, never mind more."
Another said: “Further developments will mean the village will lose all of its characteristics and be effectively merged with Normanton.
"The infrastructure is not there to support more dwellings. School places, doctors and chemists are already at capacity.
A further comment said: “Leave our village as it is, we can't cope with any further developments, you are destroying our village, ruining the countryside and taking away the homes of local wildlife.
"We are already facing disruption from the roadworks, surely this shows that our village cannot withstand any more intake of traffic.”
Last month plans to build more than 400 homes on farmland in a Wakefield village were narrowly approved amid angry scenes at a council planning meeting.
Taylor Wimpey was granted permission to carry out the development at Altofts Hall Farm despite pleas from residents and councillors for it to be rejected.
The properties will be built across 18 hectares of former greenbelt land off Station Road, Altofts.
More than 1,000 residents objected to the scheme and over 2,000 signed a petition calling for Wakefield Council to turn it down.