Junior football pitches in Wakefield set to be sold to developer for housing
Wakefield Council looks set to sell off playing fields to allow a developer to build houses.
Senior councillors are expected to agreed to offer the land in Hemsworth to Persimmon Homes.
The deal could see new homes built across a 7.7 hectare site off Highfield Road.
Part of the land is used by Hemsworth Town junior football club.
New and improved replacement pitches would have to be provided elsewhere in the town if the sale goes ahead.
The proposed sale is linked to a decision, announced in March this year, to scrap plans to build a housing estate at West Yorkshire Sports and Social Club (WYSSC), in Sandal, Wakefield.
In 2021, Persimmon updated proposals to put 180 homes on sports pitches at the site after planning permission granted in 2017 expired.
It sparked an outcry from residents who want the council-owned facility to be kept for community use.
The council then promised to review the scheme and said it would sell a different parcel of land elsewhere in the district to the house builder.
Council cabinet members are expected to agree to a recommendation to enter into an agreement with Persimmon for the disposal of land at Highfield Road.
Part of the site is also agricultural land occupied by a tenant farmer, a portion of which is owned by a trust who has formed part of the negotiations.
The proposal includes selling the site as one to the developer, with 69% of the sale going to the council and 31% to the trust.
Any sale will be subject to planning permission being granted and is expected to take at least 12 months.
The Hemsworth site was removed from the green belt and earmarked for housing in the council’s new Local Plan, which was adopted in January.
Replacement playing fields must be available for use before the existing fields are removed.
The scheme will also include building a car park on Moorshutt Road to improve road traffic safety at school drop off and collection times.
The report adds: “The redevelopment of Highfield Road will relocate an area of public open space to provide improved playing pitch provision that can be used by local residents.
“The existing playing pitch at Highfield Road is not included in the council’s playing pitch strategy since the amenity is of a poor quality, uneven, with poor drainage, and no ancillary amenities.”