Onward Masterplan

DLP Planning were instructed to promote the redevelopment of Onward Business Park at Ackworth, West Yorkshire. The brownfield site comprised of existing warehouses, storage, offices and distribution centres.

The development proposal included commercial and residential uses, live/work units, senior living accommodation, community facilities, creche, public open space, football pitch and sports changing rooms across a 16ha site. Issues around public footpaths through the site, contamination and the relocation of existing businesses were key considerations in the promotion of the site. Appropriate works to the highway in terms of changes in the profile of vehicle movements were essential at an early stage, as was a robust drainage strategy.

DLP Planning Ltd successfully promoted the site through the Local Plan process to secure a Special Policy Area designation in the Site-Specific Policies Map. This involved removal of much of the land from a previous employment designation and the revision of the settlement boundary to allow development to come forward. The development was a logical extension to the northern part of Ackworth and is reflect as part of the settlement in the Wakefield District Local Plan (adopted January 2024).

Alongside the strategic land promotion, DLP worked with Strata Homes as the development partner to prepare an outline application for the site. Planning permission was subsequently granted (subject to Legal Agreement). DLP were retained by Onward Holdings to prepare reserved matters submissions, successfully securing permission for 131 dwellings in Phase 1 and 280 dwellings, public open space, a football pitch and sports changing rooms/community facility in Phase 2 of the development.

Planning permission was secured and the site is now well established with further community facilities to be delivered in future.