Flats which spoil castle view to be demolished
Four blocks of 1960s flats in Pontefract town centre are to be demolished because they spoil the view of the town's 955-year-old castle ruins.
Wakefield Council has given the go-ahead for Violet Pritchard House, Silkstone House, Francis Lane House and Warren House - part of the Horsefair Flats complex - to be bulldozed.
The council's conservation officer said: "The scale and form of the flats abruptly contrasts with the historic context of the area, and in particular undermines the significance of the castle."
The social housing provider plans to replace the buildings with new housing projects, according to documents submitted to the local authority.
Approving the proposals, a planning officer's report said it was accepted the flats "contribute little from a visual perspective to the local area" and their demolition would be "beneficial".
A heritage statement said the buildings are within the Pontefract Castle conservation area and less than 300m from the medieval monument.
According to the statement, the buildings make a "negative contribution" to the area and their demolition would be a "minor enhancement".
The castle was built in about 1070 by Ilbert de Lacy on land granted to him by William the Conqueror as a reward for his support during the Norman Conquest
The deposed King Richard II was captured in August 1399 and initially imprisoned in the Tower of London, before he was moved to Pontefract Castle where he died in February 1400
Royalists controlled Pontefract Castle at the start of the English Civil War and Oliver Cromwell led the final siege of the site which finally fell to his Parliamentarians in 1649
Parliament decided the castle should be demolished, preventing it from being used against them in the future. Many of the buildings in the local area are made from stones recycled from the castle
Source: Duchy of Lancaster
Wakefield District Housing (WDH) submitted an application to knock down the buildings in December last year.
The flats are currently vacant after former residents were housed elsewhere.
The demolition phase is expected to take about 40 weeks to complete and the site will then be grassed over until redevelopment takes place.
WDH said it intended to submit a separate planning application for a new housing project on the land.
Planning permission was granted with a condition that a full archaeological recording takes place at the site before further development is carried out.
Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Flood concerns over large housing development
Housing plans near Norman castle spark concerns
Development would 'ruin' castle views - objectors
Wakefield Council
Wakefield District Housing
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Headteacher welcomes free school meal announcement
A headteacher has welcomed government plans to extend the free school meals scheme to include more children. From September 2026 all children in families receiving Universal Credit credit will be eligible regardless of their income, in a move expected to benefit more than 500,000 children. The government said the changes to free school meals would save parents £500 a year and "lift 100,000 children out of poverty". Joanna Baxendale, headteacher at Green Lane Primary School in Bradford, said: "Without free school meals, our children simply will not be able to access the curriculum, they won't be able to learn the maximum capacity, they wouldn't be able to reach their full potential." She added: "Our children come from a very deprived area and a high percentage of our children access free school meals. "We already supplement that with free breakfasts and things like that, because we recognise many of our children don't start the day with a breakfast, so they're already not ready to learn. "We all know if you've got an empty tummy, you can't concentrate. "As an adult you know that." Sue Duffy, Bradford Council's executive member for children and families, said the change to the policy was a "fantastic outcome" for children and families in the district. She also encouraged families to check if they are eligible for the scheme so as not to miss out. "Free school meals offer multiple benefits to children's health, well-being, and education, as well as positive economic impacts for families," she said. "A nutritious lunch can improve children's concentration, learning, and overall academic performance, while saving families around £500 per child each year." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Free school meals to be extended to 500,000 more children Bradford Council
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Teachers strike over 'unfair treatment' at school
Teachers at a school in Hull have walked out for a second day over the "unfair treatment" of staff, their union says. Some classes at St Andrew's CE VA Primary School, Grandale, Hull, were sent home due to strike action by National Education Union (NEU) members. Paula Burgin from the Hull branch of NEU said staff were striking over "inconsistent application of policies around pay, sickness absence and discipline that has led to unfair treatment of staff". A spokesperson from the school said the governing body was committed to work with the union to address the concerns that had been raised. Ms Burgin said the dispute formally began in March when staff put forward a list of complaints to school governors. She said policies being changed without consultation and parents complaints not being actioned were among a "plethora of issues" raised. Ms Burgin added that the resignations of two assistant head teachers in December had left "a bit of a vacuum at the top for leadership" which led to "disorganisation through the whole school". Head of religious education at the school Irene Treston-Waller said there were not enough staff to adequately supervise children during playtimes. Ms Treston-Waller, who has worked at the school for more than 12 years, said: "We are doing our best but we would really like additional support for those children who need it most. "Overall, we've got lots of issues that have been raised and I think they all need to be addressed... and in a timely fashion so that we can get on with our job which is not being in here it's being out their teaching our children." A spokesperson for the school said: "We will ensure that all parents are kept fully informed about whether there will be any further strike action, however we hope to be able to avoid this by having constructive dialogue with trade union representatives." The BBC put staff concerns to the school, but it did not address them directly. Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Teacher strike ends after 'successful' talks Pay us what we deserve, striking teachers say Teachers in England move a step closer to striking St Andrew's CE VA Primary School National Education Union
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Man admits killing wife as she pushed baby in pram
A man has admitted killing his wife as she pushed their baby in a pram through Bradford, but denied her murder. Habibur Masum, 26, stabbed 27-year-old Kulsuma Akter several times as she walked through the city centre on 6 April last year. The baby was unharmed. Appearing at Bradford Crown Court, Masum, of Leamington Avenue, Burnley, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and possession of a bladed article, but denied a charge of murder. Following the hearing he was remanded into custody by the judge, Mr Justice Cotter, to stand trial for murder on Monday. Masum also denies two charges of assault, one count of making threats to kill and one charge of stalking. During a previous hearing the court heard those allegations relate to two days in November 23. Masum is accused of stalking Ms Akter between November and April, with the charge alleging he "tracked her movements and located her at a safe house, sent her messages of a menacing nature which contained threats to kill another and photos and videos of the area and premises where she was residing". He is also alleged to have "loitered in the area of her temporary residence". The charge alleges he caused her "alarm or distress" and to "fear that violence would be used against her". Ms Akter was attacked at about 15:20 BST as she pushed her baby in a pram along Westgate near to the junction with Drewton Road. She later died in hospital. Masum, who appeared in the dock wearing a blue T-shirt and grey fleece jacket, was arrested in Aylesbury after a three-day manhunt by West Yorkshire Police. Speaking last year Ms Akter's mother, Monwara Begum, said she had been left "heartbroken". From her home in Bangladesh, she said: "I am in shock. She was my youngest daughter and I adored her greatly. "When she moved to the United Kingdom I was alone, but Kulsuma would call me every day by video. The only day I didn't hear from her was the day she was attacked." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. HM Courts & Tribunals Service
