The site of Castleford’s old swimming baths is set to become 69 new homes, split between affordable rent and shared ownership, under a scheme Wakefield Council is backing developer Vico Homes to deliver.
Earlier in 2026, the council transferred ownership of the plot to Vico Homes specifically to expand the district’s supply of affordable housing. The project has since been made viable by the council’s decision to put developer contributions from other housing schemes towards closing the funding gap.
Cllr Andrew Wakefield, the council’s Cabinet Member for Strategic, Housing, Skills & Business Growth, said: “It’s great to see this former Council site being transformed to provide affordable homes for local people. We’ll continue to work closely with our partners and monitor the scheme so that these much-needed homes are available as soon as possible.”
The council has put in a 40 per cent funding contribution drawn from Section 106 money — developer cash generated through planning agreements, rather than council tax or reserves. Vico Homes has separately secured funding from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to cover demolishing the old baths and preparing the ground for building work.
Cllr Wakefield added: “By using Section 106 funding for the scheme, we’ve been able to support the delivery of a high-quality development at no cost to residents. The project will help meet local housing needs and bring life back to this part of the town.”
James Kilroy, Head of New Business and Delivery at Vico Homes, said: “We’re proud to be bringing these much-needed affordable homes to Castleford, giving more local people the opportunity to put down roots in a safe, high-quality home. This development is an important step towards our ambition to provide 10,000 more homes over the next 10 years.”
Machinery and equipment are already arriving on site ahead of demolition work, which is due to start in September. The whole scheme is expected to be finished by summer 2028.
