Westgate Key Development Area (KDA)

http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/86A242D9-BEC1-4EDB-9E88-0A1DF8A4A3D5/0/WRT_WestgateKDA.jpg

The Westgate Key Development Area (KDA) is one of the most important City Centre development sites in the region. It provides an exciting opportunity to create a new and prosperous quarter of the city centre including Wakefield Westgate Station, the former Express Dairy site and the former railway goods yards.

The proposed range of activities and uses include offices, leisure, small scale retail, hotel, restaurants and a substantial amount of new housing. Central to the whole area is the planned construction of a modern new railway station.

Within and around the Westgate KDA there are many fine listed buildings which lend character to the area. Future development must match this high quality and link clearly and effectively with surrounding areas of the city.

To drive forward the regeneration of the Westgate KDA, Wakefield Council has joined forces with key stakeholders Network Rail, GNER and also the newly established English Cities Fund (ECF). The tremendous potential of this area to deliver high quality regeneration in Wakefield has attracted the ECF, a partnership bringing together developers AMEC, Legal and General and Government agency English Partnerships, to pursue the investment opportunities there. This has led to the preparation of a Masterplan for the KDA.

An outline planning application was received in March 2005, followed by a series of public exhibitions held across the city during May and June 2005.

The developers have indicated that they are hopeful that the scheme should commence in late 2006.

£100 Million Westgate Scheme Approved
Ref: PR531
Date: 28/09/2005

A £100 million development scheme, which promises to transform a key part of central Wakefield has been approved in outline form by councillors.

Members of Wakefield Council’s Planning and Highways Committee signalled their approval of plans to redevelop Westgate with Balne Lane and Burton Street.

Outline plans from English Cities Fund include replacing the current railway station, developing a new five-storey hotel, three and four storey offices and housing, bars, cafes restaurants and multi storey car parking plus a new roads network.

The site covers eight hectares, most of which is a former railway goods yard. It is a development within Wakefield Council’s planning blueprint, the Unitary Development Plan. Within the proposed development site are a number of listed buildings. A final decision about the demolition of two of them will be taken by Government Office Yorkshire and the Humber.

A new highway network called the ‘Emerald Ring’ will be created to serve the new site and link to the existing city ring road – but developed with landscaping as a green urban boulevard.

Wakefield’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration Phil Dobson welcomed the application saying: "This is an exciting proposal which would completely transform this crucial part of the city. We look forward to receiving a detailed application, which will allow us to fully consider how the development might work to the benefit of this area of Wakefield."

It is anticipated that a detailed application will be submitted by Spring 2006. A thorough process of consultation will then begin before a decision is made.

Wakefield go-ahead for £100m canalside plans
Joanne Ginley
THE flagship £100m redevelopment of Wakefield's waterfront has been given the green light.
Detailed planning permission has been granted for the first phase of the scheme, triggering the release of almost £14m of public money.
It means work can start building new homes and offices and restoring buildings such as the grade II*-listed canalside warehouse along the key city site.
Coun Phil Dobson, deputy leader and cabinet member for regeneration, said: "This is fantastic news for the people of Wakefield. This further piece of the jigsaw means that all of the funding is in place and that work will definitely start on the project next year."
The granting of detailed planning permission means that the European Regional Development Fund will release £8m and Yorkshire Forward £5.5m to kickstart the rejuvenation of the area.
The £100m project by developers CTP St James includes a mix of office, residential and leisure buildings over 10 acres.
At the heart of the rejuvenation of the waterfront is an art gallery in Wakefield to showcase work by sculptor Dame Barbara Hepworth in the city of her birth.
The £20m gallery will be built on the headland site of the Wakefield Waterfront conservation area.
David Topham, director of CTP St James said: "This is a significant milestone for the Waterfront project.
"We now have confirmation of planning permission for phase one and public sector funding and this means we can move into the delivery phase with all speed."
Detailed planning proposals for the first phase of the Waterfront development include residential and office use and sensitive restoration and conservation work on the grade II*-listed Calder and Hebble Navigation warehouse – the only building along Yorkshire's waterways deemed to be 'at risk' by English Heritage.
The completed development with substantial public spaces and formal gardens will add a new dimension to Wakefield centre by opening up the southern gateway to the city
joanne.ginley@ypn.co.uk
30 November 2005

This isnt the same is it? Or is it??

This isnt the same is it? Or is it??

No. Two totally separate locations.

This news was posted on the BBC a while ago but not seen it on the forums, so apologies if it is buried.

The Orangery, which is a listed building within the Westgate Redevelopment area may get the following extension, which will be an impressive extension to an already beautiful building. Link to article below.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bradford/content/articles/2006/04/13/wakefield_orangery_plans_feature.shtml

The Pavillion looks amazing, I hope it goes ahead.

Also I drove past the first of the riverside apartment blocks the other day which is currently going up. I think it's only 6 or 7 stories but it looks absolutely massive. There were alot of demolished retial and industrial sheds around it, so looks like good progress is being made on the river side.

The Orangery, which falls into the Westgate Key Development area has received a further boost to the coffers with a pledged of £250,000 been thrown into the pot By Wakefield Metropolitan District Council to get the proposed £3.5 million Orangery Pavillion Extension underway. Meanwhile Wayne Hemmingway renamed the Orangery, BEAM. To see the full article in the Wakefield Express please fillow the following link.

http://www.wakefieldtoday.co.uk/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleID=2016854&SectionID=702

Westgate gets yet another art complex with the development of the Art House.

According to Wakefield First the development of " The scheme is the brainchild of The Art House, a community of artists with and without disabilities from across the world. The Centre aims to be the base for the well-established network of visual artists, allowing individuals to work together within an inclusive environment that caters for all creative talents"

To See the full article (with images) take a look at the following link.

http://www.wakefieldfirst.com/?i=477&s=1111

Further information about the Oranagery/Beam can also be found here

http://www.wakefieldfirst.com/?i=571&s=1111

I had a look at the latest copy of The Citizen (Wakefield MDC annual(?) newsletter) yesterday, and on the centre pages there's a small artist's impression of the Westgate KDA and it actually took me a while to work out what it was as there are so many new buildings on it. It's not very big at all, but hopefully it's available online somewhere - anybody?

This Friday's Wakefield Express is carrying two stories regarding the redevelopment of Westgate. The first is the main redevelopment, new images are available, although the physical paper has more.

Main Westgate Development (http://www.wakefieldtoday.co.uk/news?ArticleID=2700820)

The second development is set for the Latino Quarter just off Westgate and is being proposed by the Havana nightclub.

Latino Quarter (http://www.wakefieldtoday.co.uk/news?ArticleID=2700818)

According to the YEP it looks like this development could finally be ready to start despite the recent economic turmoil. http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/140m-Wakefield-transformation-ready-to.4631882.jp

£140m Wakefield transformation ready to begin

http://editorial.jpress.co.uk/web/Upload/LEED//TH1_2710200811Westgate%20Merchant%20Gate%20-%20al.jpg
CITY OF THE FUTURE: An artist’s impressions of the development in Wakefield

27 October 2008
By Stuart Robinson
WORK on the first phase of a £140m scheme to change the face of Wakefield's Westgate area is ready to begin, despite the credit crunch.

But the building work is set to see two city centre car parks close.

Phase one of the Merchant Gate project, formerly called the Westgate Key Development Area scheme, will see a new business quarter created on the old yards around Westgate rail station as well as a key part of the emerald ring – the city's new ring road.

Phase two, to start in 2010, includes office and residential developments, besides plans for a new railway station.

The entire re-developed 17-acre site will see three new combined office and leisure buildings with cafes and shops built alongside a new residential block and a new public square will be created. Work starts next week and will be completed by summer 2010.

The scheme also includes a 1,450 space multi-storey car park, to be operated by the council, built alongside the rail lines to provide extra parking.

Wakefield Council leader Coun Peter Box said: "These are tough times for the economy, but Wakefield is bucking the trend and a major scheme to improve one of our key gateways to the city is getting under way, which is fantastic.

"The new car park will provide affordable spaces for visitors and citizens, and the new emerald ring road will help alleviate traffic congestion."

Wakefield Council's chief executive Joanne Roney added: "This great scheme not only shows how committed the council and its partners are to improving our places for our people, but it is yet another example of how Wakefield is fast becoming an increasingly popular place for people to do business."

The project means Burton Street car park, Drury Lane car park and Cliff Lane itself will close on October 27.

For more information or to get a copy of the council's free city car park map,call 0845 8 506 506.


As a reminder of this scheme here is more renders and an overview on the Wakefield Council website: http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/Planning/Regeneration/Wakefield/Westgate.htm

http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/093F0086-4FD0-4B85-A6E2-21934D2EE49B/0/Westgate_MultiStoreyAndStation.jpg

http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/854B4E10-2B03-4C76-AF2B-7C247493C939/0/Westgate_BurgageSquareFromCliffParade.jpg

Where abouts will this new extension to the Wakefield Inner Ring Road run to and how extensive will the changes to the railway station be (would it still involve adding a 3rd platform to the station and moving the station southwards 100 yds or metres to allow for extra development space)? It will certainly be a welcome development for Wakefield and one which should hopefully improve the West End of that city centre. I presume funding was already assured hence why the scheme is due to start imminately with the closure of these surface car parks unless for some reason they plan on leaving this site as an empty building site as opposed to a surface car park?

WAKEFIELD has a 'Latino Quarter'?! Never imagined the place as somewhere with much of a S. American link!

Where abouts will this new extension to the Wakefield Inner Ring Road run to and how extensive will the changes to the railway station be (would it still involve adding a 3rd platform to the station and moving the station southwards 100 yds or metres to allow for extra development space)?

The Inner Ring Road (the "Emerald Ring") is shown here - the only sections not completed are the two "loops" of one-way streets in the top left. The north-running street in the lower of the two is the new road mentioned in the press release.

http://consult.wakefield.gov.uk/events/796/images/166.jpg

I don't know much about the station, but it'll be moved northwards, not southwards!

The Inner Ring Road (the "Emerald Ring") is shown here - the only sections not completed are the two "loops" of one-way streets in the top left. The north-running street in the lower of the two is the new road mentioned in the press release.

http://consult.wakefield.gov.uk/events/796/images/166.jpg

I don't know much about the station, but it'll be moved northwards, not southwards!

It also shows a new road heading north from the existing Marsh Way inner ring road with what I guess could be a possible redevelopment area on the rest of the existing Marsh Way to enable a north east expansion for Wakefield city centre. I take it Wakefield Council are aiming on doing similar to what happened at Masshouse Circus in Birmingham where a large inner ring road type road and junction of a similar nature to Wakefield's Marsh Way was demolished to create a more urban style boulevard style route as opposed to a half hearted urban clearway it is at present and opening up opportunities for development in a vibrant urban setting as opposed to a rather hostile area dominated by traffic, concrete and not much else. http://www.betterpublicbuildings.gov.uk/finalists/2004/masshouse/

Before:

http://www.betterpublicbuildings.gov.uk/assets/images/finalists_2004/masshouse/masshouse_large_1.jpeg

After:

http://www.betterpublicbuildings.gov.uk/assets/images/finalists_2004/masshouse/masshouse_large_3.jpeg

Hopefully such a scheme should help the longer term prospects for Wakefield as a city centre. Is there a completion date for when this road should be completed?

It also shows a new road heading north from the existing Marsh Way inner ring road with what I guess could be a possible redevelopment area on the rest of the existing Marsh Way to enable a north east expansion for Wakefield city centre.

You obviously haven't been in Wakey in a while - that "new road" has been open for a couple of weeks now, and the northern half of the old Marsh Way has gone, along with the old market, to make way for the new Trinity Walk development:

http://www.trinitywalk.com/

Page 8 of this PDF shows exactly what's happening, especially on a slow PC as it draws the new units over a map with the old road in place:

http://www.trinitywalk.com/downloads/lettingPlan.pdf

You obviously haven't been in Wakey in a while - that "new road" has been open for a couple of weeks now, and the northern half of the old Marsh Way has gone, along with the old market, to make way for the new Trinity Walk development:

http://www.trinitywalk.com/

I admit that I haven't been to Wakey for a while. :hammer: Does it appear as I suggest with my comparison or is there large remnants of 1960's style urban roadways on the parts of Marsh Way which remain. I'm sure I went to some lecture years ago that they were planning on boulevard style roads to replace the urban clearways in Wakefield City Centre. Are there any recent pics of this Trinity Walk scheme's progress as well as news regarding the total shops let to retailers. Will the new Sainsburys at Trinity Walk replace the Sainsburys at the retail park at the other end of Wakefield city centre? Still it should be good news in getting the likes of Next, Debenhams and H&M to open up in Wakefield where they didn't before.

I admit that I haven't been to Wakey for a while. :hammer: Does it appear as I suggest with my comparison or is there large remnants of 1960's style urban roadways on the parts of Marsh Way which remain.

There's only about 300 metres of the original Marsh Way left, but "1960's style urban roadway" is bang on the money - concrete median strip, metal railings on squat brick walls each side and a pedestrian subway.

I'm sure I went to some lecture years ago that they were planning on boulevard style roads to replace the urban clearways in Wakefield City Centre.

Spot on again.

http://www.wakefieldfirst.com/?i=448&s=1111

Are there any recent pics of this Trinity Walk scheme's progress as well as news regarding the total shops let to retailers.

You should find both within http://trinitywalk.com/, although the photos aren't that recent.

Will the new Sainsburys at Trinity Walk replace the Sainsburys at the retail park at the other end of Wakefield city centre?

Yes, and the council has plans to redevelop that retail park in the future.

Does it appear as I suggest with my comparison or is there large remnants of 1960's style urban roadways on the parts of Marsh Way which remain. I'm sure I went to some lecture years ago that they were planning on boulevard style roads to replace the urban clearways in Wakefield City Centre.

A year on, and the last section of "urban roadway" on Marsh Way has now been "upgraded to Emerald Ring standards". What this means is that the central barrier has been removed, a new pedestrian footpath added on the west side and the road surface relaid. Would look good if the Trinity Walk development wasn't still a sorry-looking steel skeleton :(

WAKEFIELD has a 'Latino Quarter'?! Never imagined the place as somewhere with much of a S. American link!

As far as I can tell, somebody opened a Mexican restaurant and bar in 1999 called Mex Millennium (which is now just a bar on two floors - the restaurant reopened further down the street (well, alley really). Then somebody (possibly the same people) opened a bar/nightclub called Havana on the other side, and this seemed enough justification for the council to slap a "Latino Quarter" sign up :D

New council 'one-stop shop' for Wakefield revealed

This is to be part of The Merchant Gate development. Wakefield Express article below.

http://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/news/New-council-onestop-shop-for.5759220.jp

From Property Week:



King Sturge appointed to market Wakefield scheme
12:01 | 09.03.10

English Cities Fund has appointed King Sturge to market the residential element of its £140m Merchant Gate scheme in Wakefield City Centre.

The residential element of the scheme, which is located close to Westgate Railway Station, comprises 66 one and two-bedroom apartments

Prices for the one bed apartments will start from £94,950 and the two bed room apartments will be £124,950. The flats will be available on a rolling basis from August.

The entire Merchant Gate development will also provide 47,000sq ft of office space, 35,000sq ft of retail and leisure developments plus a new multi-storey car park next to the city’s Westgate station.

The 17-acre mixed-use scheme is being developed by English Cities Fund, a partnership between Muse Developments, Legal and General and national housing and regeneration agency the Homes and Communities Agency, with financial support from Wakefield Metropolitan District Council and Yorkshire Forward.

David Caught, residential sales and marketing director for English Cities Fund, said: “We have a very strong relationship with the Leeds office of King Sturge, they have been involved with Merchant Gate since the very beginning, so we are delighted to have appointed them as the agents to take us through to the completion of these apartments, and the wider scheme.

“Merchant Gate is one of only a handful of developments across the north of England which has continued to progress throughout the recession and this is testimony to the strength of the Wakefield market and the determination of all of the partners involved.”

King Sturge is also acting on the other areas of the development, including commercial, retail and leisure.

From the Wakefield Express.

All change as Emerald Ring work continues

Published Date: 01 April 2010
A SHAKE-UP in the road network around Westgate will see busy roads closed while another phase of the Emerald Ring gets under way today.

Parts of Back Lane, from its junction with Westgate up to The Orangery, were permanently closed today so that a new road, called Mulberry Way, can be built to give access to the multi-million pound Merchant Gate area, and hopefully ease city centre congestion.

The road will be open to traffic on Monday, April 12, but Burton Street will then close for two weeks while a new carriageway, footways and pedestrian crossings are constructed on the Emerald Ring.

Once Burton Street reopens, the flow of traffic along the road will be reversed, so traffic will travel towards Cliff Parade and Drury Lane, both of which will then take traffic one-way towards Westgate.

Andy Wallhead, Wakefield Council's corporate director for regeneration, said: "We are nearing completion of the new road network and the entire first phase of the Merchant Gate scheme, which will revitalise a large section of the city centre.

"It's important for motorists to be aware of this phase of works and subsequent long-term changes to the road layouts. The area will be fully signposted and information available on our website too."
The new section of the Emerald Ring, along with Mulberry Way, will provide access to the new Merchant Gate urban quarter, which will be a home to offices, apartments and shops when £50m regeneration work finishes at the end of the summer.

Emma Cordingley, development director at English Cities Fund, responsible for the Merchant Gate scheme, said: "The completion of the new section of the Emerald Ring and phase one of the scheme marks an exciting milestone for Merchant Gate and for Wakefield city centre.
"The development is set to attract many high-profile businesses to Wakefield, providing jobs for local people and increasing custom for retailers and other traders in the city centre. It will also provide new homes and overall will help to make Wakefield a vibrant 21st century city."

Does anybody understand the new road layout around County Hall?

1. Traffic from Wood Street heading for the North used to turn left into Cliff Parade then right into Burton Street. Burton Street now runs the other way, so how are you supposed to get to Balne Lane, Bond Street etc. (other than not starting from Wood Street)?

2. You can now turn left from Bell Street into Burton Street, but I can't understand why anybody would ever want to (unless parking on Burton Street) - if you're heading in from Bond Street you can't turn right into Bell Street, so have to carry on to Cliff Parade, and if you're heading in from Rishworth Street, Cliff Parade is the quicker route.

The layout probably made more sense in connection with the North Wakefield Gateway scheme (http://visuals.sdgworld.net/temp/nwg/North%20Wakefield%20Gateway%20Detailed%20Plan.pdf), but that's been scrapped (bloody NIMBYs).

Apparently the area is now called the Merchant Gate KDA, which is a shame because it means the connection to this is a lot more tenuous:

sLn605u614E

Finally, a decision has been taken on the new city library. Article taken from Wakefield Express.

Plans for new library given the green light







Published Date: 03 August 2010
Book-balancing plans for a new city-centre library were approved this week.


Members of Wakefield Council's cabinet gave the green light to proposals for a new library at the Merchant Gate development on Westgate when they met on Tuesday.

It will be housed in the new civic building proposed for Burton Street behind County Hall, and would replace the Balne Lane and Drury Lane libraries.

The new central library was originally planned for the Trinity Walk shopping centre, which is expected to open next year, but those plans fell through in March.

I finally got the time to look around Merchants Gate and although I knew it was U/C I was not really prepared for it to be almost finished ( what i suppose is the first phase ). There are 4/5 completed buildings with the new roads etc and public realm also almost complete - they were still working on the square between the buildings. Anyway a lot of pics which I will split over a few threads.

New Multi Storey car park

http://i56.************/2n0rjpd.jpg

http://i52.************/2jebme0.jpg

http://i54.************/29pchf8.jpg

http://i53.************/2rwalbr.jpg

This is the largest building obviously apartments with retail/offices below. The brown building is office/retail and you can see the square in the last pic.

http://i51.************/oawsx1.jpg

http://i55.************/2h3vrde.jpg

http://i56.************/15fngd4.jpg

http://i55.************/25721xu.jpg

Close ups of the brown block.

http://i55.************/2qbupmq.jpg

http://i52.************/29vbhqc.jpg

http://i51.************/11sefrc.jpg

Some shots of the other side of the developement.


http://i53.************/2ex90dc.jpg

http://i54.************/j7zxah.jpg

http://i55.************/b7id61.jpg

Looks like a good development for Wakefield. Have any of these offices been let to anyone yet?

This looks like a fantastic development which you might expect in Leeds or Manchester.

Wakefield should be proud of what it has achieved with this and Trinity Walk when most cities have stopped their developments. The City Centre will certainly be improving over the next year or so.

Not sure if the council are going to be taking some of the office space or not, there is another batch of buildings to be put at the back of these, I think - which is where they are putting the new library - still this is Wakefield Council we are talking about they do change their minds like people change their socks. LOTS OF IFS AND BUTS. Personally I don't think this area will take off until they move the main station buildings (if that comes off). Still the development of this area has made my journey home a lot more pleasant, instead of having to go through the grotty nightclub and kebab house area

Here is a wider shot showing the new main building and road and the area in front which is for later phases as stated by andyb56. There is also supposed to be new housing on the car park area infront of the new multi storey car park.

http://i54.************/2089x6b.jpg

Wow, there's certainly some money being spent in Wakefield at the moment.

That looks like quite a substantial developemnt, particularly perhaps the car park, and overall it looks quite nicely finished (apart from the corregated looking grey panels, although that is minimal so ok)

I've noticed over the last two days that pile drivers seem to have appeared at the back of the site nearer to the old County Hall building - this is where I think the library is going.

In regards to the car park the adjacent empty car park directly behind the platform I think is where any future station building will be going. I was thinking though that it's not a lot of room, especially given the amount of cars, buses and taxis that clog up the current station building area - much to my annoyance!