The following diagram highlights the committed projects and identified opportunity areas for transforming the city centre - all connected through a network of green spaces with opportunity for up to 1,500 new trees. Committed projects include:
Wakefield city centre masterplan identifies which are the next areas to evolve in the city over the next 20 years.
We have highlighted the committed and on-going projects as well as opportunity areas for future development within the city centre. Further detail can be reviewed on Chapter 6 in the Draft Masterplan document.
Create a new pedestrian link between the bus station and the college, providing new green and play space for city centre residents, visitors and wider communities in the heart of the development. Consolidate the car parking with a cycle hub, an active ground floor use, and new leisure offer. Opportunity for additional residential development with the potential for a commercial building as a gateway to the north of the site.
George Street to become a pleasant and attractive street for pedestrians and cyclists through a phased development of a series of key neglected sites building up to an accessible and green, new residential neighbourhood along the street. Opportunity to provide a continuous revitalised frontage along Kirkgate to establish a better link between the city centre and The Hepworth Wakefield. Potential gateway site south of the city centre along Ings Road to optimise car parking provision, enabling the release of some of the surface car park sites for redevelopment.
Garden Street area opportunity for re-purposing of existing warehouses into more appropriate city centre uses. Unveiling Ings Beck for the creation of a new park and a new mixed-use neighbourhood including the retention of some of the existing uses on site, new retirement communities and residential units for families, student accommodation, together with ground floor leisure and commercial offer and a new school. Reuse of railway arches with spaces for workspace and cafés. Phased development and careful placemaking, delivering a place at each stage.
Options for overall site proposals will be explored and include full public consultation. The potential project will include elements of the Kirkgate Phase II / All Saints Yard Towns Fund proposals, providing the opportunity for a phased regeneration of the Ridings Shopping Centre. The scheme could create much needed green space in the city centre, establishing a new destination with space for events, informal recreation and leisure opportunities.
Mixed use commercial and hotel scheme.
New homes and community spaces in Wakefield’s Civic Quarter to be developed by Yorkshire-based developer Rushbond. Includes the redevelopment of the former Crown Court building into a community and performance space.
New museum and gallery for Wakefield to connect people to their heritage and history. The derelict former BHS building is to be converted into Connect Wakefield, including a Tourist Information Point (TIP) and an iconic rooftop terrace café
Opening up of Bread Street to reveal the lost view towards the cathedral, public realm and shop front improvements.
Strengthening the civic core with an extended flexible multiuse space to highlight the rich historical setting of Cathedral Precinct.
Acquisition and selective demolition of key buildings to deliver a new housing led development and complementary public realm.
Delivery of housing on the cleared Chantry House site.
The re-purposing of the Market Hall building to develop a new creativity and innovation hub.
An innovative and vibrant destination for creative and collaborative partnerships across the music, film, TV, design and new media sectors. The identified opportunity areas are described in the following page of this document.
