Bloody hell Fully, for an aspiring journalist, you can be daft sometimes.

I will say this again for the hard of understanding.... it can't be seen to be allowed to influence anyone at all on the planning committee. The petition is designed to influence people, you can use the media to bring it to light and make it public of course (so they will know via those outlets), but you can't demand WMDC to stick it front of a bunch of people who about 35% of whom serve another on a committee that it members have legal responsibilities to remain as impartial and objective as possible on! Opus and the club have publicly announced their intention to lodge a planning application on this site, the petition supports the principle of developing this land into a supermarket... of course it is planning issue you nugget!

Secondly, the area has been recommended to be re-designated in the LDF already mate, to a special development zone. That is just fine! Thirdly, you once again you show your ignorance of planning and the LDF, you can't designate land in the LDF for 'retail' is is not a category for lots of reasons I won't bore you with.

You are right, but this is the point that will take time to resolve. Your opinion is that it will, great, so is Opus and the club.... and probably, even mine (again, no plans, must reserve judgement). The planners, bless them, are not as convinced and think it might do partially or even completely the opposite. They have told Opus to go away and build a convincing case, telling them they sort of information they are going to need. This information will just take time to put together, retail impact assessment, traffic impact assessments, travel plans, city centre link plans and the list goes on and on. I am not putting down your reasons and the basis of your argument (looks familar eh, wonder were simialr arguments were used???

You've said planning permission will eventually be granted but it's likely to be a long waiting game for Cas, surely better late than never will be looked at more positively than possibly never at all?

If Newmarket does get passed next year, then given that these things very rarely run to clockwork, Wakey themselves shouldn't be expecting to to be playing there until at least 2014 or 2015, surely?

I know you champion the Newmarket project, but maybe Richard Wright is not the only one partial to a bit of spin.

Predictable, your championing of Newmarket and doubts/aspersions over Glasshoughton prove otherwise, be aware that we can read your post history.

Knock yourself out mate - the search button is at the top there.

Have done already, there were some interesting posts on the Leeds board regarding the merits of Wakefield and Cas in SL.

Good points and difficult to sort of argue with them. I think Opus, like Yorkcourt (and other big developers) speculate of course, but they all do so by weighing up the odds and they are not averse to them being quite tights odds if the return is worth the investment. I always apply the 80/20 rule here, and I always say that 80% of the time developers win, but still 20% of the time they have to throw in the towel, normally after spending quite a bit of cash... but that is the game they are in.

I personally think that planning for a supermarket on WR will happen but you assume, maybe like I did somewhat with Newmarket, that it definitely will... it might be in the 20%! We have not seen the plans yet... now I know what the proposal is and even how big the supermarket is (it is not little!) but seeing the actual plan will tell me more.

You are right, in 12 months Newmarket gets a yes or a no, everyone thinks that 80/20 rules applies here as well, and it has an 80% chance of a yes, it could be no... but Cas's time frame is currently open-ended and it could equally be a no at some point in the future!

In direct answer to your question "surely better late than never will be looked at more positively than possibly never at all?" WR could also be possibly never at all as well, just like NM! I really, really don't think it will be BTW, but getting to any position for it to be granted will take time.

If Newmarket get the nod in the first half of 2012 (it should be first quarter BTW) then Wakefield should be playing at Newmarket from 2014. GH is in exactly the same position, planning on WR is needed by this time next year to get Cas in GH by 2014. If WR got planning before Christmas this year then you could hit 2013... but it is a huge IF!!!

Just as real example, lets look at Newmarket, from when the plans were first made publicly available in September 2009 it took another 6 months to get the application in and then13 months for it to go in front of the planning committee in October 2012! I personally think WR is at least 12 months from getting an outing at a planning committee meeting, so this time next year is my guess. I think they will release plans in August but it won't end up as a formal application until late this year, despite what they are saying!

rlBefore you ask...rl

Some very interesting reading there from a man who purports not to favour one or the other...

I remember losing my rag about the conduct of some Cas posters about Newmarket, posting something on the Leeds board and then apologising for being an idiot and letting my emotions get the better of me. I haven't posted anything about the subject since then.

I have defended Wakefield when people have argued for it to be them and not Cas on the Leeds board and the VT and as such that ends up as me taking more of a devils advocate position, but I think that is the worst you could level at me. I do argue strongly in favour of Crusaders going if someone has to go as well.

Other than the post I refer to above, I don't regret anything else (I think! ) I have posted, so links to threads are fine by me... I expect it could be boring fro everyone but me and you though!