Tony Gardner

The derelict former High Well School site in South Hiendley, near Wakefield, is due to be auctioned on 26 August with a guide price of about £100,000. The property, vacant since special educational needs pupils moved to a new Pontefract site in 2015, includes the former school building and surrounding land and is being marketed as having potential for housing development. The sale comes as Wakefield Council seeks to raise around £20m from public land and property disposals while reducing its estate because of financial pressures.

Wakefield Council’s Reform-led administration has voted to scrap its 2030 carbon-neutral target, withdraw from regional climate commitments, end support for the Wakefield Net Zero Partnership, and cut its climate change budget by £170,000. Council leader Karl Johnson called the previous targets unachievable and unnecessary, while promising practical measures such as improving energy efficiency, recycling and council property performance. Environmental campaigners argue the changes will remove climate expertise and allow existing climate work to decline.

Royal Mail will replace a stolen postbox in Woolley after months of delays, though no date has been set for restoring a second box. Residents and local MP Jade Botterill criticised the prolonged wait, citing the importance of postal access for elderly villagers and safety concerns where the boxes were removed. A replacement for the postbox on The Green is scheduled for next week.

Wakefield Council’s Reform-led administration is preparing to abandon its carbon‑neutral targets for 2030 and reduce its climate budget by £170,000. A forthcoming cabinet vote is expected to approve ending several climate initiatives, unpublishing the climate action plan and scrapping the climate champion role. The council plans to redirect funding toward upgrading its vehicle fleet, improving recycling, enhancing energy efficiency and maintaining green spaces. Support for the Wakefield Net Zero Partnership and the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission pledge would be withdrawn. The administration argues previous climate targets were unachievable and that resources should be focused on practical local benefits.

Wakefield Council’s Reform-led administration plans to scrap its carbon‑neutral target for 2030, cut £170,000 from its climate budget, and discontinue several climate-related initiatives. A report says previous net‑zero goals are considered unachievable, with funding instead prioritised for property efficiency, vehicle fleet upgrades, recycling improvements, and maintenance of green spaces. The council would withdraw support from local climate partnerships and unpublish its climate action plan if approved at the upcoming cabinet meeting.

Wakefield’s Fieldhead Hospital has submitted plans to install 614 rooftop solar panels across five buildings as part of a government‑funded green energy scheme. The project forms part of a wider £180m investment by Great British Energy benefiting several NHS sites, expected to generate long‑term savings and reduce energy bills. The installation aims to support reinvestment in frontline services, with planning approval still pending from Wakefield Council.

A government planning inspector overturned Wakefield Council’s rejection of a battery energy storage facility near Heath, ruling that its contribution to net-zero goals outweighs limited harm to the green belt. Harmony Energy’s proposal for 72 lithium‑ion battery containers drew more than 2,000 objections from residents, local groups and MPs concerned about landscape and heritage impacts. The inspector emphasized the urgent need for carbon‑reduction infrastructure, while the company argued the project supports national energy security and climate targets. Opponents criticised the decision as disregarding local sentiment and historic landscape concerns.

A battery energy storage system near Heath in Wakefield has been approved on appeal after the Planning Inspectorate overturned the council’s rejection. The inspector ruled that the need for renewable energy storage outweighs limited harm to the green belt and nearby heritage sites. Over 2,000 residents, multiple MPs and local groups opposed the project, citing environmental and landscape concerns, while Harmony Energy argued it supports climate goals and energy security. Local officials expressed frustration that community objections were dismissed, while supporters emphasized the national importance of expanding clean energy infrastructure.

Clearing nearly 250,000 tonnes of waste from a South Elmsall site could cost over £30m, according to evidence at a planning inquiry. Wakefield Council refused Minore’s request to continue operating the facility, following widespread complaints about odour, dust and litter, and the Environment Agency revoked the operator’s permit to protect public health. The council argues the site’s restoration is essential for future housing development, while Minore’s representatives claim operations could continue alongside construction. The inquiry is ongoing.