Development firm appointed to help deliver hundreds of homes in Castleford

A development partner has been appointed as part of plans to deliver up to 800 new homes in Castleford.

Reform UK-led Wakefield Council said the move would help bring forward housing projects on land at Stansfield Road and Wheldon Road which were earmarked for development over a decade ago.

Both sites are within the so-called Aire River Growth Corridor (ARGC), an area which includes former industrial sites to the east of the town.

In 2024, the council’s previous Labour administration agreed to begin preparations to sell off around 130 acres of land to enable developers to build the properties and invested £3.1m to get two housing projects under way.

A report at the time said: “These sites will release around 800 homes on land that is identified for residential development in the council’s Local Plan.”

The disposal of the land is set to be based on the model used for the City Fields housing scheme to the east of Wakefield, which involved the council preparing designs for parcels of land before applying for planning permission.

Parts of the site would then be sold off in controlled phases to house builders.

The council said Yorkshire-based Development Delivery Consultancy (DDC) would help facilitate the planning and future delivery of the homes.

The company specialises in bringing forward large residential schemes by helping landowners unlock development opportunities.

DDC has previously worked on the urban expansion at City Fields and has also delivered schemes in Leeds, Doncaster and London.

Andrew Wakefield, the council’s cabinet member for strategic housing, skills and business growth, said: “Making sure we have enough homes for people to continue living in the district, close to their families, friends and places of work, is one of my key priorities.

“DDC has the experience and expertise to attract the right developers to the area, helping to deliver high-quality homes that create the kind of communities we want to see across the district.

“As someone with first-hand house building experience, I understand the importance of getting developments right and creating homes that people are proud to live in.

“I look forward to following the progress on this site and seeing the benefits it will offer to residents in the years ahead.”

The council said the appointment would enable developers to register their interest in the site.

Darryl Barker, managing director at DDC, said: “We’re looking forward to working closely with Wakefield Council to develop plans for these important sites and facilitate the future delivery of much needed homes.

“Collaboration between the public and private sectors is key to creating a clear vision for the area and building successful communities.

“We are pleased to build on our previous successes across the region and will use our experience to make this exciting new project in Castleford a success moving forward.”

The council said a public engagement and master-planning process would take place to set out the proposed minimum number of new homes for the site.

Designs for a range of properties would then be completed following the consultation.