Major link roads for Knottingley and Featherstone shelved as more than 2,000 new homes removed from local plan

Major road, housing and employment development plans in Knottingley have been shelved.

A similar project planned for Featherstone has also been scaled down as Wakefield Council makes final preparations for the district’s local plan.

The decision means plans for more 2,000 houses will be removed from the Local Plan 2036.

The local plan is a land-use blueprint which shapes how the district will develop over the next decade – forming the basis for all planning decisions.

Plans to build major link roads at Knottingley and Featherstone have also been removed on the recommendation of a government planning inspector.

The inspector has indicated that it is unlikely that the projects can be delivered in time.

The council’s cabinet agreed to make recommended modifications to the plan before a final public consultation takes place.

At Knottingley, plans to build 1,900 homes and to create 29 hectares of employment land over the next two decades have been removed.

The Knottingley Link Road has been withdrawn as the inspector considers there is “insufficient evidence” that it can be delivered the plan period.

Instead, a reduced number of houses, between 180 and 380, can be built without the road.

At Featherstone, proposals to build 1,500 houses have been reduced to 1,000.

Proposals to build the South Featherstone Link Road (SFLR) and create nine hectares of employment land have been taken out of the plan.

A report to the cabinet states a Knottingley Link Road should continue to be “aspirational” and could be included in future local plans.

It says: “The current position is that, as the proposed housing will be removed from the current plan, it could no longer be used as part of the justification for the infrastructure.”

An initial section of the SFLR will be built to open up the site for development.

The report adds: “In this case, it is considered that some elements of the road could still be expected to be deliverable during this plan period, such as the loop to the south of Featherstone, due to the volume of development that will remain in the plan in this area, and additional need to address traffic-related issues in Featherstone.

“The council’s transportation team will continue looking at options and assess the strategic case for various sections of the scheme.”

A six-week public consultation on the modifications is expected to take place in May.

A residents group was formed last December in opposition to the SFLR.

More than 1,000 people signed a petition against proposals to build a main road through Hessle and Hill Top, near Ackworth.

Objectors said the plan would ruin an “oasis” of green space and wildlife habitats could be destroyed.

Hemsworth MP Jon Trickett also called for a halt to the housing plan to protect wildlife.

As the the modifications were approved, cabinet member Margaret Isherwood said: “As somebody who is resident of the community of Featherstone, I am aware of the concerns that have been raised over the building of the housing.

“The actual taking away of the road was greeted favourably and positively.

“But there are major concerns about increased housing within what is a small area.

“I am pleased that we are going to be having the consultation. I would urge everyone who has concerns to take part in it.”

Council leader Denise Jeffery said: “Local councillors and the MP have real concerns. Yes, they welcome the road coming out but there is a concern about 1,000 houses.

“We have to get the development plan through and move on with that.< "But the consultation period is very important for local people to have their say in what happens."