Major repairs to damaged lakeshores and footpaths at a West Yorkshire park are set to begin next week.

Wakefield Council agreed to invest £1.3 million to repair Pontefract Park Lake in 2021, but work was delayed after it was reclassified as a reservoir due to its size.

Members of the public are currently unable to access parts of the lake perimeter as parts of its surroundings have become unsafe.

A planning application for repairs to lakeside walls and paths was approved by the council last month.

A spillway and a safety fence will also be erected during the work which is due to start on Monday November 18, said the municipality.

They are expected to be completed by spring next year, according to the Local Democracy Information Service (LDRS).

Jack Hemingway, cabinet member for environment and climate change, said: “We are pleased that this repair work can now begin as I know that parts of the lakefront are already inaccessible.

“This will improve safety around the lake and maintain it for future generations to enjoy.”

Pontefract Park is the largest urban park in the Wakefield district.

It is owned and managed by Wakefield Council and Pontefract Park Race Company, the racecourse surrounding the lake.

The council’s licensing committee acts as administrator of the park.

Hemingway said: “Although access to the lake will be closed, the park area and racecourse will not be affected.

“We have made the decision to carry out the works during the winter months, outside of the horse racing season and when the park is quieter, to minimize disruption.”

The council will do “everything in its power to ensure the work is completed as quickly as possible”, he added.

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