Whilst Walton has retained its identity as a village outside the boundaries of the actual City of Wakefield, Sandal is now part of the city.

The following extract laments the spread of housing that has resulted in Sandal Magna becoming a suburb of Wakefield.

"The quiet village and surrounding countryside have become more accessible to the many car owners, resulting in vast house building projects such as those at Kettlethorpe, Woolgreaves, Walton Lane across to Chevet and Pledwick - sprawling Suburbia!

The warm comfort of a close-knit village community has gone."

Sandal Magna, a Yorkshire Parish and its People, Mary Ingham and Brenda Andrassy, ISBN 0 9506442 0 X, 1978.