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Tony Gardner, Local Democracy Reporter
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Articles by Tony Gardner, Local Democracy Reporter
Wakefield Council looks set to scrap plans to demolish The Ridings Shopping Centre and repurpose the venue as a "vibrant leisure-led destination".placeholder image

‘Squandered opportunity’: MP slams U-turn on The Ridings demolition

The Diamond Jubilee Working Men's Club in South Kirkby site has has been vacant and overgrown for almost a decadeplaceholder image

Plans for car wash and tyre shop at former working men’s club rejected

The Elizabethan Gallery, which dates back to the 16th Century, was put up for sale by Wakefield Council in September 2025placeholder image

Popular wool shop plans move into 400-year-old historic building

Production Park, South Kirkbyplaceholder image

Council plans new filming charges after Netflix success

New measures to address nuisance behaviour involving e-bikes, scooters and skateboards are included in proposals to target offenders in Castleford and Pontefractplaceholder image

Tougher anti-social behaviour rules to tackle e-bikes and begging

Sugar Lane Cemetery, Wakefieldplaceholder image

Cemeteries 'close to capacity' as council plans search for new sites

Amended plans have been submitted for new community facilities on the site of the former Kellingley Social Clubplaceholder image

New plans for demolished social club after scheme 'ran over budget'

Andrew Wakefield, has resigned as Wakefield Council's cabinet member for strategic housing, skills and business growth. Image: Wakefield Councilplaceholder image

Senior councillor resigns from cabinet due to health reasons

Pontefract would be given a £500k boost under the plans placeholder image

Council plans £2.8m fund for ‘forgotten’ towns and villages

Wakefield Council looks set to scrap plans to demolish The Ridings Shopping Centre and repurpose the venue as a "vibrant leisure-led destination".placeholder image

Plans to demolish The Ridings set to be scrapped

Sofra Express Grill Kitchen has been refused permission to relocate to a former betting shop 250m from its current base on Alverthorpe Roadplaceholder image

‘Healthy’ fast-food shop move rejected over ‘takeaway exclusion zone’

The owner applied to move around 250m away from its current home

The Black Swan Hotel is being used as a HMO placeholder image

HMO plans submitted for former hotel despite previous rejection

After Dark nightclub, on Westgate, Wakefieldplaceholder image

Residents object to nightclub's 3.30am closing time

Clarence Parkplaceholder image

Plans unveiled to host a new annual music festival in park

Proposals include adding a new second floor extension to the building's west wing along Drury Laneplaceholder image

Theatre upgrade 'will secure special venue for future generations'

The cost of clearing the waste site at Hacking Lane in South Elmsall could exceed £30m, a public inquiry heard.placeholder image

Waste site posing 'real risk to health' loses appeal to stay open

Wakefield Council's cabinet has agreed to scrap two-hour free parkingplaceholder image

Anger grows over plans to scrap free parking across district

Peter Davis (right) was consort to his husband Darren Byford when he was the Mayor of Wakefield during the 2024/25 municipal yearplaceholder image

‘Lost my soulmate’: Husband’s heartbreak after mayoral consort dies

Faded lettering on the monument on Powell Street has been repainted and weeds around the site were cleared as part of the project by Castleford Civic Society.placeholder image

Town’s war memorial restored in time for Remembrance Day

Wakefield Council has identified a site on Ings Road to build a £15 Youth Zone.placeholder image

Consultation ends over city’s £15m ‘world class’ youth centre plan

Jason Wilsher-Mills pictured in June 2025 at WX with his Jolly Pinder of Wakefield inflatable. placeholder image

Giant Robin Hood legend sculpture could become a permanent attraction

The Orangery was built in the early 1800s within the garden of the home of Pemberton Milnes, a wealthy cloth manufacturer. It later became a small zoo placeholder image

Historic buildings with bizarre zoo past close to being sold

Historic Wakefield site where a dancing bear killed a woman could soon have a new owner

Proposals have been approved for the new artwork at the old Parkhill Colliery in Wakefield.placeholder image

‘Angel of coal mining’ to be installed at 2,500-home development

Theatre Royal Wakefieldplaceholder image

Plans revealed to give a theatre major upgrade and extension

Wakefield Council rejected proposals to build 13 apartments at Millennium House over concerns future residents would be impacted by noise from trains and a business next to the building.placeholder image

Flats plan next to rail line thrown out after 73 objections

Wakefield Council has appointed a developer to deliver a new hotel at the site of the city centre's former railway station. Artist impression of new hotelplaceholder image

£8m hotel plan moves a step closer as 110-room venue gets green light

Wakefield Council approved proposals to build four self-contained flats at the New Carlton Social Club building in Normantonplaceholder image

Former social club to be converted into four flats despite objections

Wakefield Council's cabinet has agreed to scrap two-hour free parking. LDRS imageplaceholder image

Council votes to axe two-hour free parking across the district

Andrew Wakefield said the planned policy change by Wakefield Council would “target” bereaved residents and failed to support small business owners.placeholder image

Cabinet member opposes council plan to scrap empty home tax discount

An announcement on the future of The Ridings Shopping Centre is on the way placeholder image

Major announcement on The Ridings to come ‘within weeks’

Temporary classrooms were installed to ease disruption caused by the discovery of Raac at St Thomas à Becket school, in Wakefieldplaceholder image

Major shake-up planned for school after RAAC safety concerns

Health Secretary Yvette Cooper leaves following a Cabinet meeting in Downing Street, London. placeholder image

MPs urge council to scrap plans to end two-hour free parking

Kathryn Pybus and Lisa Hudson urged councillors to reject plans to building 151 canalside homes at City Fields in Wakefield.placeholder image

Narrowboat residents furious as plans for canalside homes approved

Residents and councillors have started a campaign to save two historic chapels in Knottingley Cemetery.placeholder image

‘We won’t be selling them’: Two historic chapels given new hope

Wakefield Council has scrapped plans to transfer ownership of a former public swimming pool and leisure centre to a community trust.placeholder image

Council scraps 'ridiculous' £1 leisure centre community trust transfer

Wakefield Trinity head coach Daryl Powell.placeholder image

Wakefield Trinity heroes tipped for city’s highest honour after win

Members of the Reform group unanimously voted in favour of the motion, which urged Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to shut down Urban House and Cedar Court Hotel as asylum accommodation sites.placeholder image

Council calls on Home Secretary to shut two asylum centres

The proposals for the scheme next to the Aire and Calder Navigation form part of the wider City Fields development.placeholder image

151 new homes planned for canalside site despite wildlife concerns

ION Property Developments Limited has been chosen to deliver the 110-room venue on the site of the city’s former Westgate Station.placeholder image

Work to start next year on ew 110-room city centre hotel

Police dog Roxy was on hand to help sniff out offenders during two days of action at Wakefield Westgateplaceholder image

Police dog Roxy helps uncover drugs as arrests are made in crackdown

Senior councillors are poised to agree to proposals to scrap two-hour free parking across the Wakefield district.placeholder image

Drivers face end of two-hour free parking under new council plans

Featherstone Rovers' Millennium Stadium, Post Office Road, ground. placeholder image

Featherstone Rovers’ future boosted by major stadium rescue plan

Celebrating 135 years of telling Leeds' stories
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