Wakefield District Design Code Draft Supplementary Planning Document – Public Consultation
The SPD is now adopted.
The Wakefield District Design Code was adopted on 16 June 2026. Full information can be found here: Supplementary Planning Documents
The public consultation has now closed.
This was a consultation on the Wakefield District Design Code Draft Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). The consultation was from Thursday 20 November 2025 until 5pm Wednesday 14 January 2026. The statutory minimum consultation period for a Supplementary Planning Document is 4 weeks but given the length of the document (and appendices) and to reflect the timing of the consultation in relation to the festive season, the consultation will run for 8 weeks.
Wakefield Council successfully applied to become a Design Code Pathfinder in a programme led by the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to support our design code process.
The document will provide detailed guidance on improving the quality of the design of development, in the context of relevant policies within the Wakefield District Local Plan (adopted 24 January 2024).
The Design Code, if adopted, will replace the existing Residential Design Guides (Housebuilders and Householders) and Street Design Guide SPDs and update masterplanning guidance.
Consultation comments will inform the final version of the Supplementary Planning Document. Adoption is expected in the summer of 2026.
Documents available for comment
Wakefield District Design Code Draft Supplementary Planning Document, November 2025
The consultation draft Design Code was available to be viewed on the Design Code website up to the point of adoption of the Design Code.
The website allowed users to filter the consultation draft Design Code content to see Codes and Guidance relevant to the type of scheme they are proposing.
A PDF version of the consultation draft Design Codewas also available.
You can also view the consultation draft Wakefield District Design Code Supplementary Planning Document: Appendices, November 2025
Documents available for viewing
- Wakefield District Design Code Draft Supplementary Planning Document, Initial Consultation Statement November 2025. This sets out the engagement to date to inform the content of the draft District Design Code SPD.
- Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Screening Determination of Wakefield District Design Code Draft Supplementary Planning Document October 2025.
- Draft Checklists for different development scales: relating to the Wakefield District Design Code Draft Supplementary Planning Document November 2025. Such checklists are to be used by developers as they design their proposed development.
- Wakefield District Design Code: Viability Analysis October 2025
If you would like an accessible version of the supporting documents please call Customer Services on 0345 8 506 506.
The Wakefield District Design Code was adopted on 16 June 2026. Full information on this can be found here: Supplementary planning documents