Plans expected for 290 more homes in West Yorkshire village
Plans for 290 new homes on farmland expected to be submitted 🏘️
Plans are expected to be lodged to build up to 290 more homes in a West Yorkshire village.
The properties will be built across 11 hectares of farmland off Church Road, in Altofts, under proposals that will be put forward by Vistry Group.
Several housing schemes are currently ongoing in the area, with some proving controversial among residents.
A total of 1,774 homes have already been allocated at sites in the Altofts and Normanton area under the council’s Local Plan, which was adopted in 2024 and sets out the blueprint for development across the district.
Objectors have previously cited road safety concerns due to increased traffic.
Others opposed development over the loss of green space and the lack of local infrastructure, including capacity at schools, doctors and dentists, to accommodate more housing.
Vistry is yet to submit a formal application to Wakefield Council but requested a screening opinion from the local authority.
Planning regulations require applicants to request a screening opinion if the size of urban development projects exceed one hectare.
They indicate to developers how likely an environmental impact assessment (EIA) would be needed before a formal planning application is submitted.
A report, which considered the scale of the project, including the potential increase in traffic, noise, dust emissions and the impact on biodiversity, said an EIA was not required.
Addressing the traffic concerns, the document said: “It is considered that highway impacts for this development would be localised and would not lead to any significant effects on the wider environment within the meaning of the EIA regulations.”
The report said early plans for the development included a range of one to four-bedroom homes with access to the site from Wharfedale Drive and Church Road.
In a briefing document sent to local councillors in April, Vistry said it was “aware of concerns regarding capacity and safety on Church Road” and a local transport assessment was being carried out in consultation with National Highways and the council.
The company also said: “Sustainability is a core part of the Church Road proposals, with energy-efficient homes intended to reduce consumption and running costs.
“Landscape and green infrastructure are integral to the scheme, including public open space, planting and features that support amenity, biodiversity, recreation and drainage management.
“Biodiversity enhancements aim to deliver measurable net gains through habitats, native planting and wildlife – supporting design aligned with planning policy expectations.”
The report said a £750,000 community infrastructure levy (CIL) would also be paid by the developer if the scheme was approved, to support local health and social care projects.
In July 2024, the council’s planning and highways committee approved Taylor Wimpey’s plans to build 400 homes off Station Road.
More than 1,000 residents objected to the scheme and over 2,000 signed a petition calling for councillors to turn it down.
At the time, Claire Turner, of Altofts Community Action Group, said: “The scale of this development is a quarter of the size of the village and is not in keeping with the character of the village.
“It will put extra pressure on existing traffic congestion, air pollution, GP’s and dental provision.
“It is overbearing, out of scale and out of character in terms of its appearance compared with existing houses within the vicinity.”
Three months later, Avant was given consent to build 83 properties on an adjacent site off Wharfedale Drive.
In Normanton, housing has been approved, subject to a completed legal agreement, on land off Wakefield Road and there is a pending application for a further site at the town’s former brickworks.
In October last year, planners refused a scheme to build 164 homes on farmland off Pope Street, Altofts, because the site was “outside of a defined urban area” and not allocated for housing.
A previous application to build homes on the land was rejected in 2020, when the council said the scheme “would not maintain a clear definition of the village boundary.”
An appeal against the decision is currently ongoing.