Plan to build homes near nature reserve approved

Plans to build 73 homes on farmland next to a nature reserve in Wakefield have been given the go-ahead.

Wakefield Council approved proposals for the two-hectare former green belt site off Lingwell Gate Lane in Lofthouse.

Plans submitted by Avant Homes included a range of one, two, three and four-bedroom properties, including 22 affordable homes.

The scheme also involves demolishing a bungalow and other outbuildings which stand on part of the site.

The land was removed from the green belt and allocated for housing when the council introduced a new Local Plan in 2024.

The site is opposite the Junction 41 Industrial Estate and next to the Virginia Close and Virginia Court housing developments.

It is also close to protected grazing land, a railway line and the Lofthouse Colliery nature reserve.

Part of the site has been assessed as being at high risk from surface water flooding but the developer said it planned to raise ground levels to address the issue.

A planning statement submitted by the company said the homes would "contribute to the local economy" and "address housing needs".

"It is strategically positioned to benefit both the new residents and the broader community of Outwood and Stanley," it said.

Forty-four people objected to the scheme and the council received one comment in support of the plans, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Some residents raised concerns about the potential impact on wildlife habitats and the loss of green space in the area.

It was also claimed future residents would be affected by noise from the nearby industrial estate.

However, a planning officer's report said the scheme was "considered to constitute sustainable development" and ruled the development to be "acceptable in principle".

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