World class Youth Zone for district’s young people coming to city centre
Monday, September 08, 2025
Plans to develop a new social and leisure facility for young people in Wakefield city centre are set to be agreed by Wakefield Council’s key decision makers at their meeting next week.
The new Youth Zone would provide young people with an additional state of the art venue that is safe and secure to spend time with friends, develop new skills and inform their future life choices.
“This is an incredible opportunity for our children and young people.
“Supported by funding from Government and the partnership with OnSide, we can create a real step change in what we offer future generations.
“OnSide have a strong track record of delivering successful Youth Zones across the country. It’s a tried and tested model. Helping children get the best possible start in life and young people achieve their full potential.
“This is about having a fantastic, wow factor venue shaped by the young people. Where they can feel safe and get high quality support, whilst having fun and socialising. It will offer the opportunity to learn new skills and improve their employability as well as improving their health and wellbeing.
“The Youth Zone will complement the excellent work already done by our Youth Work teams and the voluntary sector. And I am very excited to see it come to life.”
Cllr Margaret Isherwood
Cabinet Member for Children and Young People
It will be developed in partnership with OnSide. A national charity who works to empower young people to lead positive, fulfilling lives by building and providing access to state of the art spaces, with high quality youth work delivered by trained youth workers. OnSide have developed a successful and sustainable approach to creating Youth Zones with a network of 16 Youth Zones across the country.
The Council has identified land on Ings Road, where OnSide would develop a new purpose-built building.
The Council carried out a series of consultation and engagement activities with the public, partners and specifically children and young people as part of the city centre master planning, The Big Conversation and Build Our Futures activities. This identified a need for additional social and leisure opportunities for children and young people in the city centre
Young people aged eight to 19 (up to 25 for those with additional needs) will be able to attend the Youth Zone, which will operate throughout the year, seven days a week. Youth Zones are brand new, purpose-built spaces offering over 20 activities ranging from sports, enterprise, arts and training, all overseen by skilled youth workers who are always on hand to support young people.
Based on other Youth Zones it is expected that between 700 and 1,400 children and young people would visit the Youth Zone each week.
Clare Kanakides, Director of Operations at OnSide, said: “We build state-of-the-art youth centres for young people in areas where we know they will have the biggest impact. A Youth Zone in Wakefield would be truly transformational for the city’s children and young people, bringing new opportunities and experiences to help them grow, connect, gain skills and confidence, and reach their full potential.
“We’ve been delighted to explore this flagship youth space with Wakefield Council in recent months and look forward to developing the project further if it receives Cabinet support.”
Levelling Up Funding (LUF3) funding of £15.26m has already accepted from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to develop the new facility.
“The funding has provided us with a brilliant opportunity to develop a new facility. Increasing demand for children’s services means we need to continue to innovate so that we can help our children to live their best lives.
“The creation of a youth leisure facility will be part of the wider regeneration taking place within the city centre. It will sit alongside other projects in the Kirkgate area that are currently underway and all in all, it will contribute to making our city a great place to live, work and visit.”
Cllr Jack Hemingway
Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Growth
The Youth Zone will complement the exciting changes at The Hut in Airedale. From September, it is opening as a venue for local groups and organisations, creating a new community hub with a fresh programme of activities focused on support, learning and social connection.
Cabinet will meet on Tuesday 16 September at 10.30am. The meeting can be watched live or later on the Council’s website.