Ten year vision for Pontefract

The Pontefract Plan 2028 will identify a vision for the area for the next decade and is expected to bring about a series of improvement projects, to benefits residents and visitors alike.

Pontefract Civic Society chairman Paul Cartwright said the group is working with Wakefield Council and Wakefield District Housing to draft the plan.

And during the past month, they have been consulting with residents and community groups to generate ideas for the town.

Mr Cartwright said: “The plan is a vision or strategy for the area, considering what Pontefract needs to look like and feel like, from an events and heritage, cultural and tourism perspective, and also from a civic perspective, looking at which areas need regeneration.”

The civic society held a drop-in session for people to have their say at Pontefract Library yesterday. And another one will take place at the library from 10am until noon on Wednesday, January 3.

A draft plan will then be drawn up and Mr Cartwright says this is expected to be published for a second stage of feedback in March, before it is finalised.

“This plan will focus just on Pontefract itself, rather than the wider district,” he said. “It will look at the town centre and the immediate areas surrounding it, including what people see when they arrive in Pontefract by car, bus or train.

“If we get the overall aims and direction for the town right, we can then identify smaller projects and bring about improvements for the area. There’s certainly a need for a strong sense of marketing of the town for its heritage and its events.

“And there are areas on the periphery of the town centre such as Southgate and Stuart Road which could be regenerated, which would be a real positive.”

Work on the plan comes after the civic society and local authority signed a ‘memorandum of understanding’ setting out how they would promote and raise the profile of Pontefract, in July.