STADIUM WAKEFIELD ACTION GROUP
2010
24-12-2010
Re: Public Inquiry for Newmarket
The news today that the Secretary of State, Mr Pickles, has decided to call for a Public Inquiry to determine the outcome of the planning application for the Newmarket development is clearly disappointing as the SWAG committee were, and remain, confident in the fact that the benefits associated with the development are more than sufficient to make this an extremely viable application.
Having received a unanimous decision from the Planning Committee on the 22nd October, we were hopeful that the weight of support for the scheme, including the handing over of the 15,000+ signature petition, would prove to be strong enough to persuade Mr Pickles and his officers to hand the final decision back to Wakefield Council to determine. Regrettably, this has proved not to be the case.
The exact ramifications from the decision remain to be seen; details such as how long will the process take and what type of information will be required to assist with the Inquiry are yet to be worked out - but SWAG can already confirm it's dedication to support the Newmarket proposals for as long as it takes until the scheme is either given final approval, or until someone determines that the scheme cannot proceed (although we consider the chances of the latter outcome to be remote).
We will now begin the discussions with the concerned parties over what action we may take to show help the scheme, and we are confident that those many people who have worked hard to support the campaign for a new Stadium in Wakefield will again offer their assistance if and when called upon.
In summary, we see today's announcement as merely the beginning of another phase in the effort to provide Wakefield with the Sporting Facilities which this City can be proud of.
Phil Townsend
Spokesman for Stadium Wakefield Action Group
17-11-2010
Frustration reared its ugly head this morning with the news that the Secretary of Sate has deferred a decision on the Newmarket application until a later date. A decision on the project had been due this week, however, Government Office has ‘not been able to complete its consideration of the proposal before the 18th November 2010'.
This deferment enables the Department to have a further period in which to consider the proposal and it advises the case ‘will be dealt with as quickly as possible’.
Whilst the frustration of this action is understandable, the key parties involved in this project remain confident of a positive outcome.
23-10-2010
Newmarket Plans Passed!!!!
The news that all supporters of the Newmarket development were waiting for finally broke on Friday afternoon. 'Minded to approve' was the unaminus decision from the Planning & Highways Committee of Wakefield MDC after they had heard the outline application in it's entirety.
Prior to the hearing, the councillors were welcomed in to County Hall by an army of Wakefield Trinity supporters who gathered outside in the hope that a positive outcome would prevail. As the application was heard, the confidence grew amongst the representatives of SWAG, YorkCourt Properties and the Wakefield & District Community Trust that the decision would go their way and shortly after midday that's how it proved to be.
Spokesman Phil Townsend commented 'This is a fantastic day for the City of Wakefield. The Planning Committee members fully understood and appreciated the relevance of the proposals and the connection required between the development as a whole and the ability to deliver the Community Stadium we have all craved for so long. This feels like we've just won the semi-final - without which we would have a bleak future for professional sport in Wakefield. We have to await the outcome of the Government Office, but we remain convinced that the arguements which support this proposal will over-ride any possible objections for the site'.
'We have worked very hard on this proposal and it is only 2 years since we were stood on the steps of the Town Hall with a mock gravestone when it appeared that there was no way forward for us. I remained positive that we could still gain something positive from the ashes of the Thornes Park proposal and I believe that this has played a significant part of the decision making which has brought about this fantastic opportunity for the Merrie City!'
Standard procedure now requires the application to go through a 28 day period where the Secretary of State will decide whether the application should go to a public inquiry or be passed back to Wakefield Council to ratify the decision. If Government Office passes the decision back to the local authority, it paves the way for the developers to submit the detailed application for the stadium soon after this 4 week period.
Detailed plans for the Stadium are expected to include facilities such as indoor and outdoor training pitches; gynasium; sports hall; dance studios and a 400 seat restaurant - and much more. These facilities will be available to the Wildcats as well as to other groups and for public use.
All in all it was a great day for everyone involved and just reward for all the hard work everyone has put in over the last six years and SWAG would like to offer thanks to all our supporters for their tremendous work, especially in compiling the 15,000+ signature petition in support of the Newmarket site.
13-10-2010
October 22nd, County Hall, 9am
Be there please!
THE BIGGEST DAY IN WAKEFIELD'S SPORTING HISTORY!
This is it. Hundreds / Thousands of man hours; hundreds of thousands of pounds; Engineers / Architects / Professionals of all types and it boils down to one meeting of 15 elected people in a room in County Hall.
Dependant upon the decision are hundreds / thousands of jobs; a one-off opportunity to build and operate a Community Sports facility, owned and operated by a Community Trust, which will provide clean, safe, secure and state-of-art facilities to be the home of Wakefields only professional sporting club!
Included in the plans going forward are:
Gynasium
Sports Hall
4 Court Hall
Dance Studio
Multiple changing rooms
A full size indoor astro-turf soccer pitch
A 100m indoor track
An outdoor training / junior team pitch
Classrooms
A 400 seat restaurant
Massage bay
and more.....
These facilities will be available to the people of Wakefield, as well as to the club, and will finally put this City back on the sporting map!
Is Wakefield that well off that we can afford to turn our nose up at this wonderful opportunity? We most definitely think not!
So, please join us at 9am on Friday 22nd October on Wood Street; bring your friends / family / anyone in the street and, if you can, bring along a banner / poster of something that shows why you are there.
The theme of the morning is that we intend to applaud the Councillors as they approach the building. We want them to be aware that we are there to support them in making this very positive decision!
There may be objectors there - in this event we would ask for calmness and decorum. We are asking people not to rise to them, but to remain focussed on the positive nature of our gathering.
This is it folks - no turning back now!
03-10-2010
SWAG, In conjunction with the Supporters Club, WiSCA, is inviting supporters of Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, together with anyone else who supports the proposed development at Newmarket, to attend a Public Meeting on Tuesday 12th October in the Cats Bar at Belle Vue, starting at 7.30pm.
The aim of the meeting is to provide an update on matters leading towards the imminent Planning Committee Meeting of WMDC - scheduled for Friday 22nd October.
The 22nd October is set to be the most important day in the Wakefield Trinity clubs history for over a century. It cannot be stressed highly enough that a positive outcome is essential for the future of professional sport in Wakefield. The proposed development of the Newmarket site has the potential to bring benefits to supporters of the Wildcats, but just as importantly, it provides the chance to have genuine state-of-the-art training and playing facilities which can be of use for thousands of people for decades to come. Wakefield currently has a very modest amount of sporting facilities, with capital cost and running costs ruling any further public development out, but Newmarket is to be mainly funded through the planning gain available to the developer, with the anchor tenants - Wakefield Trinity Wildcats - providing the bulk of the running costs as it's part of the deal for the site.
SWAG, in conjunction with the Wildcats and WiSCA - Wildcats Supporters Club Association - is encouraging supporters to book the morning of the 22nd off work, if at all possible, in order to meet and greet the Councillors - who hold the outcome of the meeting in their hands - as they arrive for their meeting.
The meeting on the 12th October will also include presentations of the preparations being made by the Wildcats for their move, including some sneak previews of the plans for the stadium and the other sporting facilities together with details of the work towards the Licence renewal application for the 2012-2014 seasons of Super League.
Phil Townsend
Spokesman for SWAG - Stadium Wakefield Action Group
19-09-2010
As many keen followers of this development will know, the Newmarket scheme is finally entering the final stages of the outline planning process.
After some eight months of planning consultation, and relative inactivity, SWAG are gearing up their campaign once again and would like to invite you to a public meeting on the 12th of October 2010, 19:30 at Cats Bar, Belle Vue where supporters can get an update on progress made thus far. A panel of guests (to be confirmed nearer the date) will be present and they will field questions from the floor. It is hoped further details of the new stadium will also be revealed during the evening.
On the 22nd of October, the Planning and Highways Committee meet to decide on the outcome of the Newmarket application. SWAG are asking for as many of you as possible to gather outside County Hall at 9:00 to welcome the councillors who are sitting on the committee as they enter the building. This is a ‘supportive’ demonstration which we intend to hold in good spirits! Please, if you can, make sure you are there to lend your support to a great cause on this momentous day.
In light of the above, SWAG have produced a flyer which has all the details you’ll need if you wish to attend these ‘events’. Please download this flyer for yourself as an ‘aide-memoire’ or pass it on to friends and family who do not have access to the internet but may want to be part of history.
We are close to realising the dream of a brand new state of the art facility for the people of Wakefield, but we need one big push to make sure the people who represent us are fully aware of the public's opinion on this matter. If you haven’t already done so, please contact your councillor and let them know how important the development is to you. You can find the details of how to do this below.
Thank you.
16-09-2010
The formal consultation period for the proposed Newmarket development is now over and the planning officers will be putting together their report for consideration at the meeting on the 22nd October 2010. It is important to note the planning officers who have studied the application in great detail do not have the final decision, the members of the planning & highways committee do and of course it is made up of our local councillors, who are politicians.
As a Wakefield resident your three Ward councillors are your representatives on Wakefield Council and, as such, are your link to the democratic process of local government.
So here is how you can now help and do your bit!
E-mail YOUR three Ward Councillors NOW and tell them why you think it is important that planning permission is granted on the 22nd October for the new community stadium & development.
The time for all the formal planning procedures is now over, so you don't have to write in a formal structured way or give reasons why you support the development in relation to planning law and guidelines etc, etc. What we would recommend you do is just e-mail and tell them why it is important to YOU that the ground gets the go-ahead, if you are a Wakefield Trinity supporter, let your representatives know what they mean to you, how they make you feel, how they form part of your life, the life of the city of Wakefield, what it would mean to you to go and watch them at a new modern home. If you don’t follow the Wildcats but still are in favour of the new development, let your ward councillor know what you think the community sport facilities will bring to the city, what it will mean to your kids, grand kids and even great grand kids. This is an opportunity to simply convey your emotions and tell your story, so that your voice is heard and your councillors get to know first hand why YOU think this is important!
You can find your three Ward Councillors details here;
http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CouncilAndDemocracy/Councillors/Wards/default.htm?wbc_purpose=Basicdefault.hdefault.htm%23categories
Here you will find a list of areas covered by each Ward. Simply find your area in the list and identify which council ward you live in. Simply click on the WARD NAME and you will be shown your three Ward Councillors. If you then click on VIEW DETAILS you will find their contact e-mail address.
Don't be afraid to ask them to support the development and lobby their colleagues, both on and off the planning committee to do the same.
This is a really positive way you and everyone you know can now help, get e-mailing, get your family e-mailing and your friends e-mailing and let the council know how YOU feel!
09-09-2010
As announced at the Wakefield Trinity Presentation Night on Tuesday 7th September - the Planning Committee have been booked for the 22nd October to review the development at Newmarket, inclusive of the new stadium.
Although at a much later date than hoped, this is a key date in the process of the development, and with recent changes to the Local Development Plan, where the Old Newmarket Colliery and surrounding area has been designated as an employment zone, the chances of the planning authority refusing outline consent has been significantly reduced.
There are a number of legalities that the proposal needs to navigate before a detailed planning application for the stadium can be submitted, although the designs are at a well advanced stage and will be ready to present to the council when permitted
SWAG will report back when we have had time to discuss the timeline between now and the 22nd of October.
28-07-2010
A modicum of clarity has finally descended upon the council’s stance with regards to the Newmarket development. After initially going to press with intention of ‘financially’ supporting only one proposed new stadium within the district, Wakefield Council will now go back to the original plan and provide support for both the Newmarket and the Glasshoughton ventures.
In a statement released on Tuesday the 27th July 2010, the council disclosed they had ‘given each club (Wakefield Trinity and Castleford Tigers) assets to a value of £2m, subject to a review in September to ascertain the progress made in respect of both planning permission and a robust financial plan being in place. We have also offered officer support.’
With this backing in place, the Newmarket development should be ready to proceed with construction if/when planning permission is approved. An outline planning decision date for this is expected to be in September, with the detailed planning application ready to be submitted if/when this is granted.
25-07-2010
Following on from last weeks revelation by Wakefield Council leader Peter Box, who highlighted to the Wakefield Express the authority’s intention to back only one of the two proposed stadiums within its jurisdiction, Wakefield Trinity chairman Ted Richardson today confirmed the club are to put aside any talk of a potential ground share at Glasshoughton in Castleford and direct all their efforts into the development of the new stadium project just off Newmarket Lane in Stanley.
In a joint statement released in conjunction with the Wakefield and District Community Trust, Mr Richardson disclosed that ‘all parties – Wakefield Metropolitan District Council, Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, Wakefield and District Community Trust and York Court Properties Ltd are all in agreement that Newmarket is the ONLY stadium project that will carry the Wakefield name and that we will play in.’
16-07-2010
Further to the press release issued by Wakefield Trinity and the Wakefield and District Community Trust earlier today, we wish to confirm the position relating to SWAG at this time.
SWAG have taken part in wider discussions regarding the proposals for new Stadia in the Wakefield District. Our stance, following clarification of various matters and confirmation from the three parties involved - namely the Wakefield Trinity Club, the Wakefield and District Community Trust and the Developer of the Newmarket site, Yorkcourt, is that we remain both confident and focussed on the ability to deliver a Community Stadium and Sports Facility at Newmarket.
Consideration has been given to the possibility of ground sharing. We can confirm that SWAG are not against the principal of sharing a facility with other parties, indeed the very essence of what is proposed at Newmarket is that the site should be available to a variety of different clubs and sports - a true Community Facility, owned and operated by an independant body through the Wakefield and District Community Trust.
Consideration has also been given to the possibility of re-directing both the club and the facilities to the Glasshoughton site. We can confirm that, given the assurances from the parties involved at Newmarket - that the Newmarket site is fundable, viable and deliverable - that we believe it would be wrong for us to back the proposal to re-direct the support already given by the 15,000+ people for the Newmarket site to an alternative location. This decision is based on the issues of geography, history, funding and the range of available facilities proposed and the benefits achievable for the population of Wakefield.
We note with some concern the decision to delay the review of the Newmarket proposal until September. We are however satisfied by the parties involved that all the relevant work will be in place by that time and we remain confident of a successful outcome to that meeting. Time is clearly a major factor in this situation, but we are confident that what is proposed at Newmarket is something worth fighting for.
It is our belief that everything that has been done to facilitate the delivery of the Newmarket site has been done in such a manner as to avoid the potential pitfalls that occurred at Thornes Park. WMDC have indicated their inability to fund a facility directly and their advice was followed in identifying a site, a developer and in the formation of a Community Trust - for which we are extremely grateful to Sir Rodney Walker and his committee for their efforts in this matter.
Fundamental in this process was the allocation of land by WMDC to the professional clubs in Wakefield, against which the clubs could borrow monies towards achieving their goals. Given that this involves no direct funding from the council, and in accepting that this offer was made in lieu of the failure of WMDC to deliver the Thornes Park facility (over which at least 2 years work was lost), we would consider it inconceivable that there should be any moves made to remove this offer, which would seriously jeopardise the time, money and e ffort so far spent in pursuing the Newmarket site.
In conclusion, the work that SWAG have been undertaking for the last 6 years - to deliver a Community Sporting Facility which can be home to professional Rugby League and a variety of other Professional and Amateur Sports, for Wakefield - will continue, and that our goal remains the current proposed site at Newmarket.
Many thanks,
Phil Townsend
Spokesman for SWAG - Stadium Wakefield Action Group
12-07-2010
Having been initially due on the 24th June 2010, then on the 16th July 2010, the decision date for the Newmarket Development has been moved back to September 2010.
Whilst incredibly frustrating for all supporters of this proposal, postponing the decision date will aid the development in gaining outline approval when the time comes for ratification.
The developer, YorkCourt Propeties, remains confident with regards to the scheme getting the go ahead and has already prepared the detailed application for the stadium so that they are in a position to submit if/when outline is granted.
In light of this, SWAG is urging supporters of this development to remain positive and to continue their backing by writing in to the council and the local media outlets. Despite the delay, the development is still only weeks away from a decision that could change the face of the sporting provision for the Wakefield district so your continued support is much needed.