Wakefield Council’s Cabinet is set to accept £9.8m of Government funding to benefit key schemes across the district.
This investment is set to boost key local schemes chosen by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
This includes £4m for renovations to bring Wakefield’s Old Crown Court building back into use and £3.2m to create an ‘Academy of Live Technology’ at Production Park, bringing with it more jobs and employment opportunities for graduates.
Cllr Michael Graham, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Growth, said: “This additional funding is great news for Wakefield and will help us deliver several big-ticket projects, including bringing one of the City’s most recognisable buildings back into use.
“The Old Crown Court has stood empty for far too long, this funding will help us bring the building back to life and secure its future.
“And Production Park is a fantastic asset to our district, putting us on the map internationally. Some of the biggest names in entertainment have used the facilities on offer here. And by expanding the existing facilities we can attract even more business and investment to the area, as well as creating more jobs.”
The Old Crown Court is a listed heritage building. Bringing it back into use will complement other work taking place to transform Wakefield’s historic Civic Quarter.
The expansion of Production Park could also provide new opportunities for local freelance creative professionals to work within the Wakefield district.
If approved, the Council will work up the plans for the schemes which will then need to go through the Council’s usual decision-making process.
£1.25m of funding is also set to deliver improvements at The Hepworth Wakefield. It will be used to create a garden workshop and children’s playground. As part of this project there will also be improvements to the art trail, led by the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
A further £250k will support a study to be carried out around possible future learning and skills facilities needed for the Wakefield district.
