Work to begin on £6.3m social club revamp

Work to demolish a former social club in West Yorkshire and build a new sports pavilion in its place will start in May, Wakefield Council has confirmed.

The redevelopment of Kellingley Sports and Social Club in Knottingley will see new changing rooms, a bar, improved parking and better spectator seating created as part of a regeneration plan for the area.

The first phase of the project will include the removal of temporary buildings, a council spokesperson said.

Councillor Michael Graham, cabinet member for regeneration and economic growth, said: "Residents have been rightfully frustrated with a lack of progress so I am glad we are moving forward and starting to deliver."

The current pavilion would remain in use until demolition work began, according to the council.

Temporary measures would then be put in place for clubs using the existing facilities.

"The ground surveys mean there's a big piece of work we need to do before demolition can begin," Mark Lynam, corporate director for regeneration, environment and economic growth, said.

"People will see lots of activity as we clear the site and then carry out the surveys."

He said demolition machinery was expected to arrive on the site by the end of the year.

Earlier plans to redevelop the site, expected to cost £10m, were criticised for being too expensive.

The area's three Liberal Democrat councillors described the previous scheme as "a waste of public money" in 2023 as many of the services were already available in the area.

However, staff at the club said abandoning the plans would leave a "massive hole in the community".

Paul Green, the club's steward, also said at the time: "It has been the beating heart of the community since it opened in 1965."

A council spokesperson said the updated plans are currently expected to cost £6.35m.

Demolition is expected to be complete by early 2026.

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