Wakefield Council buys old Westgate railway station

Wakefield Council has bought the old Westgate railway station in the city centre for commercial development as part of the city centre regeneration masterplan.

The site is intended for a hotel and a separate office building, however, in the current economic climate, the hotel is the preferred development, so the project will be phased to enable the offices to be built at a later date.

Technical site surveys are underway after which the council will invite developers to submit their proposals. A decision will be announced in 2024.

New urban green space and access routes will be part of the project.

This project has been supported through a £24.9m Towns Fund government grant.

The site has been left empty since the train station closed when the new, adjacent Westgate station opened in 2013.

Local business leaders are in support of the plans to convert this site for commercial activity which aim to encourage visitors to experience Wakefield for longer and attract businesses back to the city centre, reversing the trend of out-of-town locations.

The regeneration of the site will complete the regeneration of Westgate, following on from other recent projects including CAPA College, a performing arts college, and Burgage Square, a mixed-use development with accommodation, retail and office space.

To find out more about the redevelopment of the city centre, visit our regeneration webpages or subscribe to our e-newsletter to get updates straight to your inbox.