West Yorkshire ‘City Fields’ development could create 800 local jobs following sale

Keyland Developments Ltd, the property trading arm of Kelda Group and sister-company to Yorkshire Water, has completed the sale of its Wakefield East site in West Yorkshire to Opus North and Bridges Fund Management for an undisclosed sum.

A planning application for the 31-acre employment scheme, now branded ‘City Fields’, was recently submitted by Keyland. The indicative layout proposes employment space totalling up to 500,000 sq ft, which could generate around 800 new jobs for the local area.

The majority of the commercial site will benefit from Class B2, B8 and E(g) consent for urban logistics, as well as industrial accommodation in a varied range of unit sizes, whilst also offering scope for the development of a trade counter scheme and associated pub/restaurant/drive-thru options.

Previously part of the redundant Yorkshire Water Calder Vale treatment works, the site will now form a key strategic element of the overall City Fields development which, at 375-acres, will play a significant role in creating a new, important, and sustainable primary employment hub to the east of Wakefield.

The site runs adjacent to the £33m Wakefield Eastern Relief Road (WERR) which opened in 2017. Regeneration of the broader City Fields community also includes the construction or (re)development of around 2,500 houses, a primary school, health facilities, district and neighbourhood centres.

Appointed agents Avison Young and Knight Frank facilitated the sale of the land on behalf of Keyland with Square One Law acting as legal team. Carter Towler and Walker Morris advised the purchaser.

Peter Garrett, managing director of Keyland Developments, commented: “We are delighted that the sale has now completed and look forward to the planned development forming the main commercial element of this significant regional regeneration scheme.”

Ryan Unsworth, development director of Opus North, added: “The acquisition of this strategic site continues our strategy of sustained growth in the northern commercial sector. The surrounding area has witnessed a considerable surge in investment and regeneration and the development of this pivotal site will make a further significant economic contribution.

“We are looking to commence works on site in early 2023 with a targeted completion of the first units later that year. In addition to bringing about new jobs, the development will help ease the well documented shortages of high quality industrial/commercial accommodation in the region.”