£50m masterplan for Knottingley revealed
New sports facilities, a youth village and improved shop fronts are all part of a £50m plan to transform Knottingley.
An action plan has been created to help improve the town's future prospects and tackle its issues with unemployment and deprivation during the next 10 years.
Key to the plan's development will be the refurbishment of Kellingley Sports Pavilion and the creation of a "multi-use community and skills space", which would run out of Kellingley Social Club to help improve people's job prospects.
The district council also wants to set up a community-run Youth Village at the Warwick Estate, which it is hoped will stave off anti-social behaviour in the area.
Significant amounts of cash have already been spent on improving the footpaths on the estate in the past year.
Senior councillors are expected to sign off extra cash for the what's being called The Knottingley Vision next week.
Wakefield Council's portfolio holder for regeneration, Denise Jeffery, said: "Knottingley is an extremely proud community and the town’s residents
and businesses are ambitious about its future.
"Knottingley has a lot of positives and opportunities, and many of these have been highlighted through the consultation process.
"Through the Vision and the Action Plan we will build on these, using Knottingley’s strengths to promote the growth, development and
improvement of the town.
"By working together we can make a real difference to Knottingley, and realise our ambitions."
A grant scheme which has helped improve the appearance of buildings in the Hill Top Parade area, will now be extended to shops in the Racca Green precinct.
A total of £40,000 will also be offered to some small businesses in the area to help them adapt to the digital world, while 2,500 homes will be built as part of the district's local housebuilding plan for the next two decades.