Action group plans legal fight to stop industrial estate linked to Castleford Tigers stadium upgrade

An action group said it also intends to refer Wakefield Council’s decision to approve the scheme to the Local Government Ombudsman.

Councillors voted in favour of the application to construct a new £200m employment and logistics site on greenbelt land next to junction 32 of the M62.The company will also pay £12.2m under a 106 legal agreement to fund the major upgrade of Tigers’ ageing Wheldon Road rugby league ground.

The council’s planning committee approved the plans at a meeting on Thursday February 15.

They must must now go to the government for final review.

The Axiom site had originally been earmarked to be a major retail and leisure park.

But the company has said the scheme is no longer viable as shopping habits have ‘fundamentally changed’ since the pandemic.

Angela Barker spoke against the proposals at the meeting on behalf of Residents Opposing Axiom Redevelopment (ROAR).

She said: “The previously approved plan aimed to bring an additional leisure destination to Castleford.

“This new plan brings large-scale warehousing, disguised as an employment opportunity under a Section 106 agreement, that we question the validity of.”

Ms Barker said the scheme, which includes building across 48 hectares of greenbelt, also contravenes the council’s new local development plan.

She said residents living close the site will be affected by traffic, noise and light pollution once the industrial units have been built.

Ms Barker told the meeting: “We argue this is totally out of proportion for the surrounding environment, which has long-standing housing on three sides.

“For example, Stainburn Avenue would have a building 30 houses in length by at least twice their height on their rear boundary.

“It will dominate the whole landscape.”

Ms Barker continued: “We argue that as the stadium was only directly relevant to the previous scheme and is not relevant or even reasonably related to this current warehouse scheme.

“As the stadium is not being built on the site, is two miles away, and is privately, not community-owned, it is not and should not be linked in any way to the warehouse scheme.

“If this planning is approved, we will refer it to the Ombudsman for review and seek legal guidance.

“By tying two plans together the developer gained an advantage, targeting the Castleford Tigers Club and supporters on social media, urging them to support both planning applications.”

More than 2000 local residents supported the proposals while 224 objected.

The group also claims that the Axiom site not needed.

Ms Barker said: “Castleford is not in dire need of either warehouses or warehousing jobs.

“Axiom has no idea how many sustainable jobs they will create, particularly as automation and AI takes hold.

“Their figures are a guestimate at best and do not support Wakefield Council’s vision for better paid and skilled jobs to help combat in-work poverty which is a big local issue.

“The developer suggests that the retail proposal is dead.

“Once economic recovery comes, then that position could rapidly change, which could then deliver a much more appropriate plan for the location, one that is accepted and approved by the local community.”

Jarrod Best, owner of the Axiom site, spoke in favour of the scheme.

He said: “Axiom Yorkshire is a major employment and distribution development generating significant development, economic benefit and jobs for the district, particularly Castleford.

“In February 2015, almost nine years ago to the day, the retail and new stadium plans were unanimously approved by this committee.

“I am sorry that despite our significant efforts, the retail park plan could not come forward.

“Over 60 per cent of the floor space had been let to national and international retailers.

“But a combination of changing shopping habits and covid have fundamentally altered the retail sector.”

Council planning officers have said the plans meet “very special circumstances” required to build on the greenbelt due to the economic benefits it will bring.

Mr Best said the development will deliver in excess of £200m of private sector investment.

He explained: “We have agreed to an employment and training charter to ensure local people benefit from the jobs and apprenticeships and training opportunities for young people.

“It will generate approximately £3.2m per annum of much-needed business rates.

“Overall, this will deliver an estimated local economic benefit of £142m per annum.

“But most of all, and most importantly, it will enable the financial injection Castleford Tigers so desperately need.”

The club has warned that its Super League status will be in jeopardy unless major improvements go ahead.

Planned upgrades include demolishing the club’s east stand and building a new all-seater replacement.

Mr Best said: “Following the change that we have all experienced during and after the covid pandemic, the geopolitical and economic concerns of the last several years, the easiest thing would be to simply give up and walk away.

“But that would not deliver any significant benefits for the town of Castleford.”