Firstly, before any of you ask the question I would ask after reading my post below - Yes, I have TRB's and SWAG's blessing and support in what I am proposing below. However, TRB and I agree that this really should (hopefully) be about a group of people who live reasonably close to the proposed Newmarket Development getting together, coming out and openly showing our support for the WHOLE proposed development of the site.

As many of you know, I am not a Trinity fan but I am a Rugby League fan (Leeds Rhinos season ticket holder) but I live in Stanley just under a mile from the development. I am very much in favour of the proposed development of the Newmarket site, not only the new stadium development, but the whole proposed development of the site. While I fully support the rights of the Newmarket Lane residents to publicly voice their objections to the scheme, I have not been particular fond of many of the tactics some of them have employed in doing so. The creation of a what I see as a faux group in the 'Wakefield Community Conservation Group', the choice of such an emotive and deceptive name for the group, the individuals involved concealing their true identities behind their new group and the true nature of the groups sole purpose; namely trying to prevent the development at all cost as primarily they do not it want next to them and not 'conservation' in any true definition of the word. They have used and therefore abused peoples willingness to trust and take at face value what they are presenting as the being 'the truth', as indeed being true! Of course much of what they have told people is blatantly untrue and at best just their opinion and one that in most cases does not stand up to any reasoned planning law scrutiny, with the exception of the current UDP green-belt designation.

So, as a local resident, I would like my voice and the voice of other local residents who support the scheme to be also heard publicly and as such given the same the credence and coverage by the local media. I have already spoken to the Wakefield Express and they would be very happy to run a story about a group of local residents supporting the development of the scheme to balance the story they ran a couple of weeks ago about Wakefield CCG.

This is where I need your help. I need anyone who lives, works or runs a business close to the proposed development, supports the development and is willing to publicly declare so, to get in touch. It does not matter if they support Wakefield Trinity Wildcats or not but I do want them to be local. So Stanley (particularly Moorhouse and Bottomboat), Lee Moor, Ouzelwell Green, Oulton, Methley, Ferry Lane, Altofts, Aberford Road (within a couple of miles of the site), Woodlesford etc. So within a maximum 3 mile radius of the site.

When I say 'publicly declare their support' it is just their willingness to be photographed in the paper really but of course their name could also be mentioned in the media coverage.

So do you live local (just local people please... to paraphrase two Wakefield educated comedy writers) and want to help, do you know people who live local who you think might want to help? If so can you get in touch with me via a PM with your real name and either an e-mail address or mobile phone number and while I don't need and address, just let me know 'where' you live.

If you are doing it on behalf of others you know, if you PM I will give you my e-mail and mobile details to pass onto them, so they can get in touch with me in the first instance.

The reason for needing either an e-mail or mobile number is that once I get the media organised I need to let them know when the photo will be taken, hopefully they will be able to make it, and e-mail and group texts makes this easier.

Oh one last thing, does anyone know the gentlemen called Cliff Carl (could also be Carl Cliff?) from Moorhouse Avenue who's wonderful letter was printed in this weeks Express? If you do can you PM so I can can in touch with him please?

I am going to post some more info on my proposed 'angle' below. for those of you that wish to know more and are unfortunately not local.

Thanks guys, I hope you will pull out all the stops to help.

Well that’s some effort you’ve gone to, puts many Trinity fans to shame. I hope you get a response deserving of your efforts.

Good Luck.

If Outwood is local enough for you then I would be happy to be photographed as a supporter of the project.

The 'angle' I am proposing to come at this from is clearly about local residents supporting the scheme in contrast to the local residents opposing the scheme. That is why this is being done with SWAG's/TRB's blessing but not direct input or help.

The primary aim is to expose the Wakefield CCG for what they are, a small group of people that live on Newmarket Lane who are opposing the development and not really a 'Conservation Group' as their well chosen name implies!

The message will be that we (the group of people coming together) support the development and we are in fact urging people not to just take at face value (pun-intended) what they have heard from Wakefield CCG in the paper and the 'Red Alert Flyer'. We want them to log-on to the Wakefield planning portal and actually LOOK at the scheme before forming an opinion.

We will tackle the claims made in the website and flyer head on and of course talk up the benefits of the scheme, community sports facilities, park & ride, but the economic benefit and the much needed jobs it will bring to the area. In some ways the recent news that Yorkshire unemployment was the highest in England will play right into our hands. They are standing in the way of much needed local jobs both in construction and the units themselves.

We do have some sympathy with the residents, but of course they should not be allowed to stand in the way of this development just because they don't want it near them. If it is not going here where is this type of development going to go? We need to continue to exploit our position at a major cross-roads for road and rail and this site is ideal for this purpose - this is scrub land, not park-land, private land not public land, green-belt yes, but than by nothing more than in name only. It is former industrial pit land and should be used once more to create employment in our district.

Ok, you get the picture.

Come on guys, I need your help?

It could be yes, I did not put Outwood on purpose of the moment as the more local the better, but if you could PM your details I might call on you if needed. Would that be ok?

Slightly off the main topic but still reacting to part of your post, IF the WCCG are really a Wakefield CCG then what if anything have they done or are they doing about any other conservation issues in Wakefield?

If they are genuine then they will be AS ACTIVE in other issues as they are about the Newmarket Colliary site, however if they are the NIMBY's we suspect (know) them to be then they will have done nothing with regards to any other issues in Wakefield.

This might be a route by which we can expose these individals for what they really are!

You can count me in ... I live in Stanley and so do my parents so they will swell numbers too if required (in fact my Mum's father worked at Newmarket Colliery)

Will pm you later on with details Inflatable_Armadillo

Doesn`t Bruce Grobelaar live in Methley, as a former player sponsor I`d hope he would be backing the development? No harm in asking him anyway.

Thought he lived in Heath, but was then moving to Canada.

Anyhow, is there anyone else out there who will answer IA rallying call?

I have someone from Methley who PM'ed, which is top news and of course now Catwoman1 and her parents but need more from these and other areas.

I am thinking about timing and also planning to speak to the politicians (PPC's and councillors) and as such, depending on what they say, I might leave this until after the general election (once they are elected and willing to speak more freely) BUT it could be as early as late this week/early next week!

So I need your input ASAP as we might run with it sooner rather than later if the timing is better.

I also know that while I will try and pick a very convenient time for everyone, everyone who does reply might not be able to make the time chosen for the photo, so need as many people as possible.

IA, perhaps you need to make a slight amendment to the thread title to generate more interest, I think something along the lines of ‘New Stadium Planning Application to be Rejected; It’s all Ted’s fault’ should do it.

Sorry Clan, yes, that is exactly what I am going to do in my press briefing but need to be careful to be factual and not to appear hostile towards them. Luckily once I have written it all down my wife, who is the Communications Manager for a rather large distribution arm of a rather large UK retailer, will professionally edit and probably 'tone-down' elements as required.

You have seen the length of my posts... I often need a good edit!

I'm from Stanley, all my life........I'll include father, still in Stanley.
For the record I am a Wakefield fan, but also my grandfather worked at Newmarket back in the day so have some connections there too.
This is a cause worth getting behind. I'll PM details.

Inflatable_Armadillo - firstly thank you for all the hard work you are doing on our behalf. Secondly, I live in Wrenthorpe which is probably too far away from the development, but on the off chance it's not I'd be happy to show my support.