Housing Development in Ackworth

Published: 05 May 2021

Ackworth Parish Council Facebook and Website statement 5th May 2021

Ackworth Parish Council are well aware of the unease many residents felt when the Strategic Housing Allocations were first published by WMDC not realising this information would only be used as guidance by the Spatial planning Team. As a result of thorough consultation with all interested parties, apart from sites under construction all the sites appearing on the SHLAA plan for Ackworth have been rejected.

With reference to the recent rumours of a major housing development in Ackworth. The Parish Council would like to clarify matters for residents.

There are no major housing developments approved for Ackworth in the Wakefield 10 year Development Plan. The SLHAA is a document showing parcels of land the landowners and developers would like the local planning authority to consider including in their forward planning for housing. All local authorities are required by law to have one.

The SHLAA allocations for Ackworth have all been rejected by a responsible Planning Authority. This includes the “Shepherd’s Field” development proposed by Banks Development. The Parish Council have elected to speak at the oral enquiry and will be opposing all attempts by Banks Developments to persuade the planning ministry to reconsider their rejection of these Housing Allocations as there is no evidence to support the developer’s case.

Ackworth Parish Council have a planning committee which monitors all planning applications, lodging objections as necessary. We also have a climate change task group working to help Ackworth to rise to the challenge posed by global warming and bio-diversity reduction. In our Climate Action Plan we have committed the Parish Council work to preserve and enrich our green spaces. We have plans to develop a country park, community orchard and community edibles amongst many others.

The potential for Ackworth to become greener, to lead the way in the essential reduction in carbon emissions and improvements in bio-diversity is immense. Let’s unite and work together to make Ackworth an even better place to live.