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Making the city centre more green is the only way to go. More green spaces, less cars, more cycles and lets make the most of what we have - the Cathedral, arts scene, independent businesses and shops.

Phil (Age 62)

Whilst I fully understand the need to reduce traffic, I have elderly parents who need to visit wakefield City center my father has limited mobility. When he needs to visit the optican I struggle to park near Specsavers. Maybe you should offer more disabled drop off zones.

Susan (Age 60)

What’s happening with blue badge parking provision in town with these plans?

Nick (Age 42)

People need to be encouraged back into Wakefield and it’s surrounding areas , more cycle tracks, better roads and less traffic in and around the city centre. Also the derelict buildings in the city need to be tidied up and some of the other premises cleaned up and painted. The city looks tired and neglected.

Carmel (Age 54)

I have lived within the Wakefield Council all my life, although I have never felt a part of actual Wakefield. I lived in pontefract and now Castleford and always felt that we are long down the list of priorities when living under the umbrella of Wakefield. In short I would prefer to be an independent parish council and move away from Wakefield, it seems we are only needed when there is an election coming.

Dawn (Age 52)

While skateparks and bowling are good for entertainment, I think the students currently learning in Wakefield would appreciate a bigger area to relax, study and eat lunch.

Kate (Age 15)

Make the area more green by planting more trees and plants which benefit a lot of people as it will make the air more cleaner and it is also attracting more people to come to Wakefield. Also, build a variety of other shops and restaurants which will also attract more people and increase the amount of money that the economy will have.

Awa (Age 15)

More bike roads reduce the use of cars and pollution. More range of modern shops for teenagers such as KiKo, Uban Outfitters, Pretty Little Thing, ROMWE, Missguided, Zara etc...

Lola (Age 15)

More bike roads reduce the use of cars and pollution. More range of modern shops for teenagers such as KiKo, Uban Outfitters, Pretty Little Thing, ROMWE, Missguided, Zara etc...

Lola (Age 15)

I think students who are currently studying in Wakefield would greatly appreciate bigger areas to relax, study and have lunch. While skateparks and bowling may be popular for entertainment, not everyone will want to spend their time like this. I think a parkland area with benches and picnic tables would be a success, as it would give them a break from busy central areas (like Trinity).

Ella (Age 15)

Hello,

My name is Imogen, and I am a 15-year-old living nearby Wakefield.

One suggestion I have for improving Wakefield would be to expand the possible shopping repertoire. Whilst there are some suitable shopping facilities currently available, for example New Look, I personally believe that if one of the aims is to increase the number of youth's/adolescents visiting Wakefield city centre, that expanding this would greatly increase the amount of youth's visiting. Other shops that may appeal to youths, such as Urban Outfitters, H n M and Zara, would encourage many more to visit this area. Businesses may be more open to opening a holding in Wakefield once they have heard about the improvement plans in place. I think that this would be a very smart move, as especially from my and my friend's perspective, this would probably be one of the very few factors that would encourage me to visit more regularly.

Thank you and I hope you take my ideas into account,

Imogen Wolff

#improvingwakefield
#futurewakefield
#betterfuturesforall

Imogen (Age 15)

I would really love to see cycling routes and walking paths to be revamped and used more widely. This would encourage cyclists and allow more students to travel safely. The overall transport system needs an overhaul to link different modes of transport, like Bristol's integrated Rapid Transport System!

A (Age 15)

I think to improve Wakefield City Centre, one of the priorities should be to either convert abandoned buildings into independent shops and cafes or demolish those which cannot be salvaged. I'd also like to see an increased amount of green space such as parks or even some avenues down commercial streets.

Sophie (Age 15)

To improve Wakefield Centre there are many things that can be done: improving greenspace areas, introducing new shops in the derelict buildings that attracts people and contains their interests. Another priority should be improving transport solutions.

Ella (Age 15)

I think that your main focus when improving the attractiveness of the city should be decreasing the number of derelict buildings, specifically shops as they create a dismal and unfinished look to the city centre.

Ruby (Age 15)

Wakefield needs to introduce modern ideas and green plans. The city centre is behind the times and looks neglected from the outside-area visitors. Nowhere in the city looks pleasing and introducing this plan allows Wakefield to attract the attention it deserves due to the nice surroundings behind all the neglection.

Kylie (Age 15)

I like the idea of the revamping of Wakefield. In particular, I like the idea of repurposing unused buildings and using them for events of activities catered to families as this will create a strengthened sense of community and attract a wider range of people to the city. I also like the idea of new, more eco-friendly walking and cycling routes as this promotes exercise and brings a new sense of innovation to the city. I love the introduction of independent shops near the cathedral such as the cafes and plant shops. Overall, I like the ideas presented in this master plan and feel they will have a positive impact on Wakefield.

Julie (Age 63)

I truly believe that the whole Wakefield bus station should be redone and made more aesthetically pleasing and safe for people that are commuting. The surrounding area is quite nice, however, the bus station brings down the surroundings significantly and makes commuters uncomfortable. The cafes aren't very substantial and the area directly outside seems to attract dodgy characters doing questionable activities- this could be improved by revamping the bus station to be similar to the train station with nicer shops and a better designed layout with better security

kendall (Age 15)

I work on Wood Street and have deliveries to the office 3 times a week, to pedestrianise the street would have a big impact on this and other businesses as a whole. I understand the need to reduce traffic and carbon footprints but the city is a hub for business and employment and that should not be over looked

Clare (Age 40)

Green areas and more cycling facilities sound great in theory, but making it harder for motorists to get into Wakefield will have a major negative impact on businesses. You can't realistically shop on a bike. And while my health conditions do not warrant a blue badge, walking to and from transport hubs is a struggle.

Paul (Age 49)

More trees and less cars,what’s not to like

Paul (Age 56)

Make the city centre a vibrant place to live, boutique shops, restaurants, wine bars, music. Big retail is finished in city centres in every City. Daytime and nighttime economies needs development and encouraging. Atmosphere and vibe have to be part of the developing culture. An open area for bands to play for free to audience’s, entertainment free like the Peacehall in Halifax, Leeds Millennium Square. Vision, plan, action

Paul

The life has gone out of the town and the core needs to be more compact. Generate new public realm and space for private flats by bulldozing. Kirkgate (all), the springs, bottom floor of tidings and Wetherspoons. Move retail such as Wilcos to other vacant units in town. By reducing the shopping units it could bring back a compact buzz. Compulsory purchase orders to regenerate by bulldozer. Also the WDH flats to be painted white and corrugated metal taken off roof to make town more attractive.
It suffers from a poverty donut currently and radical action is required or it will continue to fail

John (Age 47)

Increasing the greenery in and around the city would benefit both the environment and the aesthetics of our city.

Robin

Free parking would help to attract footfall. Without additional cost to ratepayers.

David (Age 77)

I've lived in and around Wakefield all my life.
The city is not a nice place to live or work now, it's streets, shops and general look of the place is depressing, sad and not a nice place to be. I very rarely visit and most of my family and friends have made the same comments.
Empty run down shops are a real eye sore. Could the masterplan include encouraging independent traders to occupy some of these shops? Perhaps lowering rents/rates until they become established - surely better to have a lower income and they are occupied then left to rot away and no one wins?
More greener in the city would also help to attract visitors and make for a much more pleasant experience.

Jane (Age 65)

Where is the money coming from, in the face of dire funding for education (particularly SEN children), social care and local authority services in general? And what do phrases like : “consolidation of the retail core providing the opportunity for a phased regeneration” even mean???

Janet

On behalf of Second Chance , providing therapy and rehabilitation for Adults with Brain Injuries for over 40 years. We strongly support and look forward to the redevelopments, but our members have reviewed the plans and are very concerned. There seems to be little or no understanding of disabilities, particularly around mobility not necessarily linked to physical deficit, say as a result of ABI's, strokes, cardiac arrest, or with issues around visual acuity, ballance, uneven weakness etc. As a prime example, the current Bull Ring is a no go area for many people after strokes, it IS flat, but impossible to get across the differing textures and colours. The new setts in the Westgate passages look lovely, -- did anyone try and get across them in a self propelled wheel chair? And the proposed dissabled parking provision in the plan is woeful, and much too far away from the centre. Please seek advice from some of the informed organisations regarding disability access, pavement textures, and distances / landscapes, its not all about scooters! With an aging population and increased survival rates from hospitals the number of lesser abled people in the population is rising incrementally and we need consideration.

Pete Taylor on behalf of the SCHC members committee, Families and carers group.

pete taylor (Age 65)

Try incorporating shops and a market, after all Wakefield was supposed to be a thriving market town. This has been decimated over the years, due to bad and poor planning. These are the very things that will draw the crowds back, with favourable cheap parking. There are already many green spaces adjacent to the centre.

Linda

Surely Wakefield is already a low traffic area? There's hardly anything to go in for its a ghost town.

Paul

More trees and new seating around the Cathedral area as most are broken.

Carole (Age 70)

Great idea. Sooner the better.

Graham (Age 50)

We need schools and hospitals with all the new residents moving in to Wakefield . The place is an eyesore where people with money to spend would sooner travel to another city than stay in Wakefield due to it being a very unfriendly city with very threatening people in and around the city centre .
Not a safe place to visit .

Peter

Tree lined with plenty of benches from outside Boots across to Trinity walk.
Should've been like that all along.

Paul (Age 50)

knock it all down and start again 😂

billy (Age 16)

Cafe bars with tables outside across from the cathedral

Paul (Age 50)

Let's have good market ( B H S ? )
Get rid of the old ABC

Stuart (Age 68)

We need more NHS dentists in this area to handle the influx of people who moved in to all the new build homes.

Hinna

Make Wakefield a destination city again. Using assets already has such as Cathedral & historic buildings & the Calder & Hepworth Gallery. Markets in the precinct (different days different types of market stalls) & rent subsidies to also encourage independent & interesting destination shops & shopping. Green spaces & nice cafes & food options. Link up Trinity to the precinct and to the river & the Hepworth. People will then venture past the Hepworth & into the city centre & visa Versa. Of course requires good parking around the city centre & mobility options such as disability & normal scooters for hire. Along with more novel options such as cycle taxis.

Gillian (Age 50)

Make Wakefield a destination city again. Using assets already has such as Cathedral & historic buildings & the Calder & Hepworth Gallery. Markets in the precinct (different days different types of market stalls) & rent subsidies to also encourage independent & interesting destination shops & shopping. Green spaces & nice cafes & food options. Link up Trinity to the precinct and to the river & the Hepworth. People will then venture past the Hepworth & into the city centre & visa Versa. Of course requires good parking around the city centre & mobility options such as disability & normal scooters for hire. Along with more novel options such as cycle taxis.

Gillian (Age 50)