Playground plans scrapped after noise concerns

Plans for a new playground have been withdrawn after nearby residents voiced concerns over noise, anti-social behaviour and traffic.

The proposed playground, at Barracks Playing Fields in Pontefract, was also opposed by Sport England, which pointed out that it would be located on an existing football pitch.

The facility was one of nine earmarked to be built across the Wakefield district as part of a £4m investment into Wakefield's country parks and play areas for 2026.

A Wakefield Council spokesperson said: "We have decided to withdraw the current application while we continue to work with ward members and the local community to identify a suitable location for the play area."

In February, the authority said the multimillion-pound upgrade to facilities would provide communities with "more inclusive, fun spaces to enjoy" and include features for youngsters with restricted mobility, sensory impairment and neuro-developmental conditions.

However, 11 people objected to the planning application after it was submitted earlier this year and no comments of support were received, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

One resident said in their objection to the plans: "The addition of a playground is likely to attract a higher volume of visitors, many of whom will arrive by car.

"This will inevitably increase traffic flow, create further parking pressure and exacerbate existing safety concerns for both pedestrians and residents."

Another objector said: "The area currently being proposed would be more difficult to ensure the safety of children as there is direct access to Mill Hill Lane, which has a problem with being used as a rat-run."

Meanwhile, a third resident said the area already had issues with anti-social behaviour, particularly at a nearby electricity substation, so even more people would result in "noise disturbance".

In their objection, Sport England said: "The proposed location of the children's play area is on part of a grass playing field that has been historically marked out as a football pitch.

"The proposal does not indicate that the area to be lost would be replaced and since the proposal would not be for sporting development, we do not consider the proposal would meet policy exception."

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