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Tony Gardner, Local Democracy Reporter

LDRS

Tony Gardner is a Local Democracy Reporter who covers Wakefield Council

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Articles by Tony Gardner, Local Democracy Reporter

Amended plans have been submitted for new community facilities on the site of the former Kellingley Social Club

New plans for demolished social club after scheme 'ran over budget'

Andrew Wakefield, has resigned as Wakefield Council's cabinet member for strategic housing, skills and business growth. Image: Wakefield Council

Senior councillor resigns from cabinet due to health reasons

Pontefract would be given a £500k boost under the plans

Council plans £2.8m fund for ‘forgotten’ towns and villages

Wakefield Council looks set to scrap plans to demolish The Ridings Shopping Centre and repurpose the venue as a "vibrant leisure-led destination".

Plans to demolish The Ridings set to be scrapped

Sofra Express Grill Kitchen has been refused permission to relocate to a former betting shop 250m from its current base on Alverthorpe Road

‘Healthy’ fast-food shop move rejected over ‘takeaway exclusion zone’

The Black Swan Hotel is being used as a HMO

HMO plans submitted for former hotel despite previous rejection

After Dark nightclub, on Westgate, Wakefield

Residents object to nightclub's 3.30am closing time

Clarence Park

Plans unveiled to host a new annual music festival in park

Proposals include adding a new second floor extension to the building's west wing along Drury Lane

Theatre upgrade 'will secure special venue for future generations'

The cost of clearing the waste site at Hacking Lane in South Elmsall could exceed £30m, a public inquiry heard.

Waste site posing 'real risk to health' loses appeal to stay open

Wakefield Council's cabinet has agreed to scrap two-hour free parking

Anger grows over plans to scrap free parking across district
Politicians give views on scrapping two-hour free parking

Peter Davis (right) was consort to his husband Darren Byford when he was the Mayor of Wakefield during the 2024/25 municipal year

‘Lost my soulmate’: Husband’s heartbreak after mayoral consort dies

Faded lettering on the monument on Powell Street has been repainted and weeds around the site were cleared as part of the project by Castleford Civic Society.

Town’s war memorial restored in time for Remembrance Day

Wakefield Council has identified a site on Ings Road to build a £15 Youth Zone.

Consultation ends over city’s £15m ‘world class’ youth centre plan

Jason Wilsher-Mills pictured in June 2025 at WX with his Jolly Pinder of Wakefield inflatable.

Giant Robin Hood legend sculpture could become a permanent attraction

The Orangery was built in the early 1800s within the garden of the home of Pemberton Milnes, a wealthy cloth manufacturer. It later became a small zoo

Historic buildings with bizarre zoo past close to being sold

Proposals have been approved for the new artwork at the old Parkhill Colliery in Wakefield.

‘Angel of coal mining’ to be installed at 2,500-home development

Theatre Royal Wakefield

Plans revealed to give a theatre major upgrade and extension

Wakefield Council rejected proposals to build 13 apartments at Millennium House over concerns future residents would be impacted by noise from trains and a business next to the building.

Flats plan next to rail line thrown out after 73 objections

Wakefield Council has appointed a developer to deliver a new hotel at the site of the city centre's former railway station. Artist impression of new hotel

£8m hotel plan moves a step closer as 110-room venue gets green light

Wakefield Council approved proposals to build four self-contained flats at the New Carlton Social Club building in Normanton

Former social club to be converted into four flats despite objections

Wakefield Council's cabinet has agreed to scrap two-hour free parking. LDRS image

Council votes to axe two-hour free parking across the district
A cabinet member said the scheme was ‘unsustainable and irresponsible’

Andrew Wakefield said the planned policy change by Wakefield Council would “target” bereaved residents and failed to support small business owners.

Cabinet member opposes council plan to scrap empty home tax discount

An announcement on the future of The Ridings Shopping Centre is on the way

Major announcement on The Ridings to come ‘within weeks’

Temporary classrooms were installed to ease disruption caused by the discovery of Raac at St Thomas à Becket school, in Wakefield

Major shake-up planned for school after RAAC safety concerns

Health Secretary Yvette Cooper leaves following a Cabinet meeting in Downing Street, London.

MPs urge council to scrap plans to end two-hour free parking

Kathryn Pybus and Lisa Hudson urged councillors to reject plans to building 151 canalside homes at City Fields in Wakefield.

Narrowboat residents furious as plans for canalside homes approved

Residents and councillors have started a campaign to save two historic chapels in Knottingley Cemetery.

‘We won’t be selling them’: Two historic chapels given new hope

Wakefield Council has scrapped plans to transfer ownership of a former public swimming pool and leisure centre to a community trust.

Council scraps 'ridiculous' £1 leisure centre community trust transfer

Wakefield Trinity head coach Daryl Powell.

Wakefield Trinity heroes tipped for city’s highest honour after win

Members of the Reform group unanimously voted in favour of the motion, which urged Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to shut down Urban House and Cedar Court Hotel as asylum accommodation sites.

Council calls on Home Secretary to shut two asylum centres

The proposals for the scheme next to the Aire and Calder Navigation form part of the wider City Fields development.

151 new homes planned for canalside site despite wildlife concerns

ION Property Developments Limited has been chosen to deliver the 110-room venue on the site of the city’s former Westgate Station.

Work to start next year on ew 110-room city centre hotel

Police dog Roxy was on hand to help sniff out offenders during two days of action at Wakefield Westgate

Police dog Roxy helps uncover drugs as arrests are made in crackdown

Senior councillors are poised to agree to proposals to scrap two-hour free parking across the Wakefield district.

Drivers face end of two-hour free parking under new council plans

Featherstone Rovers' Millennium Stadium, Post Office Road, ground.

Featherstone Rovers’ future boosted by major stadium rescue plan

The council sold Woolley Hall at auction for just over £1.5m in August as part of efforts to save costs.

Historic mansion sale paves way for hotel, spa and wedding venue

Wakefield Council has approved proposals to knock down the fire-damaged Castle Grove Infants School site to allow the 76-bedroom facility to be constructed.

Fire-damaged school to be demolished as 76-bedroom care home approved

The old Kellingley Social Club building, in Knottingley, was demolished in March 2026 and the site was prepared for redevelopment

Council vows to plug £1m gap to deliver Knottingley redevelopment

Plans to install a bandstand inspired by the work of Dame Barbara Hepworth in Horbury's Carr Lodge Park have been given the go-ahead

Controversial Hepworth-inspired bandstand wins planning approval

Bidders battle over vacant Wakefield pub as hammer falls at £445,000.

Former pub goes for £445k after bidding soars past £150k guide price

The former Pontefract Swimming Pool is now under offer

Offer made for former swimming pool that's been vacant for five years

Celebrating 135 years of telling Leeds' stories

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