Fresh hope for Newmarket stadium

A new agreement with a private developer could see the building of a community stadium and new home for Wakefield Trinity after years of delays.

Peter Box, leader of Wakefield Council, announced that progress had been made on the stadium plans at a meeting today.

Coun Box said he had asked Yorkcourt, the developer behind the plan at Newmarket Lane, to agree to changes to a planning agreement for the stadium.

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Previously, the company was only obliged to build the stadium if 60,000 sq ft of neighbouring retail space was occupied.

Coun Box said Yorkcourt had been asked to agree that a separate 22,000 sq ft development which has already been built at the site would count towards the 60,000 total.

Secondly, coun Box said, Yorkcourt had agreed to rescind a planning agreement called a Unilateral Agreement which was put in place as part of the original planning consent.

Instead, the council, Yorkcourt, Wakefield Trinity and Wakefield and District Community Trust would all be parties to a new agreement to build the stadium.

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Coun Box said: “After months of negotiations, I am pleased that the developer has agreed to my suggestion to replace the Unilateral Undertaking with a Multi-lateral agreement.

“Following the agreement of the developer to put a Multi-Lateral agreement in place, the trust have indicated their support to work with all parties involved to make the Newmarket Stadium a reality.

“If new arrangements can be put in place then we have a fresh, fit-for-purpose mechanism to drive this forward.

“I have pledged the council’s continued support and we stand ready and willing to work with everyone involved.”