like i say just heard that before and agree i woundt like wakey to play there even though its a good stadium, dewsbury only has 2 stands dosent it? and can bell bue be upgraded in terms of new stands ect

I heard adding two temp stands to the ends of Dewsbury could be an option. I would imagine the stands would be sold when Newmarket gets off the ground.

As for belle vue I think there was talk of roof over north stand and potential redevelopment of of a side stand to increase capacity.

Who knows but if these options are viable and have been explored then it will be interesting indeed

It's good to know that fans of other clubs are taking an interest. Good facilities benefit all fans of the game.

Planning permission has its own time zones. It was approved by the council but then called in for public inquiry, due mainly to greenbelt issues for the adjacent distribution centre, which is funding the development.

A complication is that the land in question (an ex-colliery next to the M62) was, at the same time, being redesignated from greenbelt to industrial/distribution use.

These two processes are clearly interlinked and the PI was delayed further, so that the outcome of the redesignation will be known before the start of the PI.

It would appear that the redesignation is highly likely to happen as the process is well advanced and the council has a legal obligation to find suitable land for this purpose. Any objections must include suggestions for more suitable land within Wakefield.

I believe the PI is now due to start in December, with a decision likely by March 2012. A positive result would mean building could start immediately and the stadium would be in use for the start of the 2013 season.

The stadium complex will also include substantial and much needed community sports facilities.

These decisions are clearly beyond the control of WTRLFC and so the current management are, wisely, not putting all their eggs in one basket and are considering all other options. An enhanced Belle Vue would probably be the first-choice, short-term option, but there are issues over ownership and rental agreements.

Add to this the fact that, as yet, we don't even know which competition we'll be playing in next year; the situation has many variables and parameters and is quite complex.

I think we are quietly confident that the new stadium will happen, sooner rather than later, but we must plan as if it won't.

Anyway, as the fans can't do an awful lot about any of this, so we get to enjoy what seems to be a last hurrah in SL supporting a committed and enthusiastic young team of underdogs,trying to make it as embarrassing as possible for the RFL to kick us out.

Not quite I believe. A decision should hopefully be be reached April/May 2012. It then has to go back to the council to be rubber stamped. Any conditons placed on it (and there will be some, there always is) then need to be worked on before full planning permission can be put in. Then its the wait for that to get passed which can be up to 12 weeks. Once passed then we need to unlock the funding and spend a year building it after adding on a few weeks to the planned schedule due to adverse weather etc. So if everything goes smoothly it will be the start of the 2014 season before we see a game played there.

Could not have put it better myself... my work here is done!

Well, maybe not quite!

Just to clarify a couple of things.

The LDF first - The final site specific report report on this will be going to the inspector for the SoS very soon (it might have already gone!). The public hearings for this will happen in September and the planning inspector is expected to issue his recommendation report by the end of the year or maybe early 2012. The report will then have to be amended to include his recommendations (a curious term, given that they are legally binding recommendations... so instructions would be a better term!). The council are targeting approving the final document at their March meeting. So the LDF will be approved and in force by March/April 2012. They expectation will be that planning inspector will recommend the re designation of Newmarket as employment land to meet his previous legal requirement of additional employment land on the M62 corridor. The only way we feel he can really knock Newmarket back is to find another site(s) of 51ha on the M62 corridor that he thinks is better... the good news is that no one seems to have an answer to that important question and the objectors are ignoring it, hoping it magically goes away!!! The only answer that Leeds City council can come up with to recommend site in errr, Leeds... not the point of the Wakefield LDF really is it and does not fit the legally binding requirement of the core strategy.

The PI on the planning application will have it's public hearings now in December. This means that the 'recommendation's from the planning inspector report on the LDF will be published around the same time, or just after. So that means the planning inspector dealing with the PI will know the outcome of the LDF as he starts to write his report and as such it will have a legally binding impact on the actual outcome if not the detail of his report to the SoS. What I mean by that is that if the LDF recommends the re designation of Newmarket then he will HAVE to approve (tell the SoS to approve) the development of the employment part of the land. However, the associated development (stadium, hotel, fast food, starter units) and also the detail of the employment development is still within his remit. The expectation is that the planning inspector will recommend approval of the scheme with changes and conditions. If Yorkcourt and the only two statutory objectors (the Highways Agency and English Nature) resolve their issues and/or reach a suitable compromise later this year, as excepted, then the majority of these changes will already be known or expected by Yorkcourt... unless someone comes up with a bombshell during the public hearings... which is very doubtful.

(This e-mail is longer than anticipated)

So, the PI report is indeed expected by April/May and in actual fact if the LDF report goes back to April or further, then expect the PI report to be delayed by the same amount.

Finally, when the SoS issues his recommendation on the PI then that is that, planning is approved as of that moment, it does not have to go back to the planning committee as they have already approved it. Yorkcourt will be allowed to start on site immediately, at risk though because reserved matters will still be required for the stadium but that should be a formality as Cas's was.

Still I think you are right, the best you can do is to get the stadium ready for mid-season 2013, so in fact it will be open for start of 2014 season, which means that even if this whole process slips by 3/4 months you still have loads of time.

Well these things seldom run to time so having a bit of leeway would be a good thing. Lets just hope it all gets passed ok.

[sizeWigan Top Average Attendance Figures[/size
12. 5,054 Salford City Reds
13. 3,635 Crusaders
14. 2,599 Harlequins RL

7th would be great, and very achievable if you ask me.

13.5.11 Crusaders RL Away 20.00
29.5.11 Catalans Dragons Home 15.30
3.6.11 Salford City Reds Away 20.00
12.6.11 Huddersfield Giants Home 15.30
18.6.11 Harlequins RL Away 15.00
26.6.11 Hull FC Home 15.30
3.7.11 Hull KR Away 15.00
10.7.11 St Helens Home 15.30
15.7.11 Wigan Warriors Away 20.00
31.7.11 Crusaders RL Home 15.30
14.8.11 Warrington Wolves Away 15.00
21.8.11 Castlefod Tigers Home 15.30
2.9.11 Leeds Rhinos Away 20.00
11.9.11 Bradford Bulls Home 15.30


shame the bradford and cas home games are the last of the season, usually a good turn out... oh well i plan on going to every game whatever happens. seeyou all in wales on friday for the win

Lo and behold, Warrington v Cas on Friday night is dedicated to Help the Heroes, with 500 free tickets going to services personnel.

I should charge for this shiz.

Beers are on 'dillo, then!!!!!!