Keyland’s West Yorkshire employment scheme set to create 1000 new jobs

Keyland Developments Ltd, the property trading arm of Kelda Group and sister-company to Yorkshire Water, has submitted plans to to Wakefield Council for a new employment scheme on its 47-acre Wakefield East site.

The planning application for City Fields Waterside Park Business Hub can incorporate up to 500,000 sq ft of employment space, which could generate 1000 jobs for the local area.

Keyland’s strategic site, which was part of the redundant Yorkshire Water Calder Vale treatment works, forms the primary employment element of the 375-acre City Fields development, which is creating a new community to the east of Wakefield.

The outline planning application seeks to create an employment scheme to act as a catalyst for employment creation and business development for a range of end users. The proposals incorporate 500,000 sq ft of B1, B2 and B8 business and industrial accommodation in a range of unit sizes together with potential pub/restaurant/drive-thru ancillary leisure uses and trade counter development plots.

The new £33m Wakefield Eastern Relief Road (WERR), which is set to complete in early 2017, forms part of the proposed scheme. Wakefield East Consortium has promoted a masterplan framework for development sites along the WERR and City Fields Waterside Park Business Hub has been identified as a potential employment area.

The broader City Fields community will include approximately 2,500 houses, a primary school, health facilities, district and neighbourhood centres along with Keyland’s extensive site.

Keyland has instructed the Leeds offices of Bilfinger GVA and Knight Frank as joint marketing agents to work as part of its wider professional team. If successfully approved, the outline planning application could facilitate preparatory work commencing on site.

Ryan Unsworth, development manager at Keyland Developments Ltd, said: “With direct access to the WERR, this site is one of the most strategically important in the region and has the potential to deliver significant employment opportunities in-line with the aspirations of the Wakefield East Consortium. With work underway on the road, the whole City Fields area is gathering momentum and the creation of this major employment element will ensure its long-term sustainability.”

Nick Prescott, associate at Knight Frank, commented: “The application addresses the widespread regional shortage of quality industrial and business accommodation through the formation of a well-designed scheme which is supported by the broader City Fields development.”

Iain McPhail, Associate at Bilfinger GVA, continued: “The regeneration of this area of Wakefield will bring about an exciting range of economic and social benefits and the mix of units proposed within the application will ensure widespread opportunities to accommodate a range of businesses.”

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