Wakefield Plantation is a planned community consisting primarily of residential development. Being at the northernmost point in Raleigh, it is home to an 18-hole golf course designed by professional golfer Hale Irwin. The area is roughly bordered to the north by NC 98, the Neuse River to the south, the east by Capital Boulevard, and to the west by Old Falls of Neuse Road, Old NC Highway 98, and Falls Lake.

Developments

Wakefield his separated into multiple sub-developments, as follows:

Cedar Grove - the northernmost sub-development in Wakefield. It is a collection of two-story single-family homes constructed by Pulte Homes. Consists of the first five holes of the Wakefield Plantation golf course. Accessible by way of Wakefield Plantation Drive.
Calloway on the Green - a collection of townhomes to the south of Cedar Grove and to the east of Wakefield Glenn. Accessible by way of Wakefield Plantation Drive.
Wakefield Glenn - a collection of small apartments to the south of Cedar Grove and to the west of Calloway on the Green. Accessible by way of Old Falls of Neuse Road and Wakefield Plantation Drive.
Deauville - a row of two-story single family homes sitting along holes Six and Seven of the Wakefield golf course. Located east of Cedar Grove. Accessible from Forest Pines Drive.
St. James Place - a collection of two-story single family homes located east of Calloway on the Gren and south of Deauville. Surrounded by golf course holes and forestry. Accessible from Wakefield Plantation and Forest Pines Drives.
Victoria Park - A small pocket of large mansions surrounded by golf course holes. Located south of Calloway on the Green and Wakefield Glenn. Accessible via Wakefield Plantation Drive.
Rosemont - A collection of small estates surrounded by the Wakefield golf course. Accessible via Wakefield Plantation Drive.
Greenpointe - a small collection of townhomes located near the western terminus of the Wakefield Trail. Accessible via Old Falls of Neuse Road.
Savannah Villiage - A collection of single-family homes with a connection to Wakefield Trail. Accessible via Wakefield Plantation Drive.
Fairview - a pocket of large single family homes and estates. Surrounded by sections of the Wakefield golf course with access to the Wakefield Trail.
Middleton - a large collection of single family homes located across from Wakefield High, Middle, and Elementary schools.
Stratford Hall - A collection of single family homes along Kelway Drive.
Club Villas - a collection of townhomes surrounded by golf course holes and a small artificial reservoir. Accessible via Wakefield Plantation Drive.
Vista Green - a small collection of townhomes squeezed between Wakefield Plantation Drive, the Wakefield Trail, and a section of the Wakefield golf course.
Wakefield Estates - the largest and westernmost sub-development in Wakefield, as well as the only section of the development located outside of the Raleigh city limits. The development consists entirely of sprawling mansions along winding two-lane roads. The Wakefield Barn and a section of the Wakefield golf course are also located here. Accessible via Old Falls of Neuse Road and Old NC Highway 98.
Wakefield Spring - an apartment building intended for senior citizen residence. Located along Wakefield Pines Drive near its intersection with Falls of Neuse Road.
Bell Wakefield - an apartment complex situated along Wakefield Pines Drive and Falls of Neuse Road.
Berkshire - a collection of single family homes along Falls of Neuse Road, as well as one of the southernmost sub-developments.
Cheshire - a small pocket of single family homes along Falls of Neuse Road near the Neuse River.
Village at Wakefield Parkside - a collection of single family homes and townhouses along Falls of Neuse Road.
Carrington at Wakefield - a pocket of single family homes located east of Falls of Neuse Road.
The Columns at Wakefield - a gated community consisting of apartments.
Kingston - a collection of townhomes squeezed between Forest Pines Drive and Capital Boulevard (US 1).
Legacy - a large collection of apartments located across from Forest Pines Drive and North Forest Pines Drive Elementary Schools. Accessible from Forest Pines and Common Oaks Drive.
Maystone - a collection of apartments surrounding woodland and a research facility. Located at the northwest corner of the intersection of Falls of Neuse Road and Common Oaks Drive. A storage facility is also located here.

Parks and Recreation

The Wakefield Trail is a 1.25-mile greenway trail stretching from Old Falls of Neuse Road to London Bell Drive in the Glen Stone sub-development. The entire route follows a row of power lines.

Forest Ridge Park is a large recreational area adjacent to Falls Lake.

The Kerr Family YMCA is located on Wakefield Pines Drive next to the Wakefield schools.

Education

Wakefield Plantation first hosted three public schools within its boundaries. Wakefield High, Middle, and Elementary Schools, which sit next to each other on Wakefield Pines Drive, first opened in the 1999-2000 school year. Two additional schools, Forest Pines Drive and North Forest Pines Drive Elementary Schools, opened in 2009. The Wake County Northeast Regional Library and Living Arts College are also located in Wakefield.

Commercialization

Much of Wakefield's major shopping attractions are located along Falls of Neuse Road, consisting primarily of supermarkets and small boutiques and restaurants. Major shopping complexes are as follows:

Wakefield Crossing - A small strip mall situated at the southeast corner of the intersection of Falls of Neuse Road and Wakefield Pines Drive. Anchor stores include Food Lion and Tuesday Morning. A small carwash and a gas station are also located on this complex, as well as a McDonalds and an antique furniture store. Stores adjacent to the area include Walgreens, Dunkin' Donuts, and a Sheetz gas station is proposed at the northwest corner of the intersection.

Wakefield Commons - an expansive strip mall complex straddling the southeast and southwest corners of the intersection of Falls of Neuse Road and Forest Pines Drive. Several banks are located on this complex. Major anchors consist of Galaxy Fun Park, located at the former location of a Kroger supermarket, as well as the Marquee Cinemas movie theater. Other notable stores include Starbucks, a Meldin-Davis dry-cleaning facility, Papa Johns, Subway, and Jiffy Lube. Several empty lots exist on the complex, one of which contains extensive vegetation.

Wakefield Park - a small pedestrian-friendly strip mall complex located along Forest Pines Drive near its intersection with Falls of Neuse Road. Some sources consider this part of Wakefield Commons. Its sole anchor store is a Harris Teeter. A Rex Hospital campus is located behind the Harris Teeter. The complex consists of several empty lots, suggesting plans for future expansion.

Churches

The Wakefield United Methodist Church, founded in 2007 as a subsidiary of the Edenton Street United Method Church, is a Christian community. The church currently meets at the Banks Kerr YMCA on Wakefield Pines Drive with plans to construct its own facility at the corner of Falls of Neuse Road and Common Oaks Drive. Construction was originally scheduled to begin in May 2018 but was delayed indefinitely.

Notable Attractions

The Wakefield Barn, located on Old Falls of Neuse Road at its intersection with Wakefalls Drive, is a historic building dating to the 1930s. It was originally used for dairy and ofther farming operations. It is currently used as a wedding venue.

Although outside of the development proper, the Falls Lake Dam is situated along Old Falls of Neuse Road as it crosses the Neuse River. Completed in 1981, it holds back the 12,410 acres of water that make up the Falls Lake reservoir, which provides drinking water for Raleigh and surrounding areas.

Transit

Wakefield is served by the Wake Forest Loop, a circulator bus route operated by GoRaleigh buses that connects Wakefield to Downtown Wake Forest. The route has stops on sections of Common Oaks, Forest Pines, and Wakefield Plantation drives with a major stop at the Wakefield Commons shopping center.

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