Get involved in Five Towns Park scheme

GMI Construction, which has been contracted to help deliver the park by developer Lateral Property Group, wants local companies to help provide goods and services for the site.

And it is holding a ‘meet the buyer’ event for businesses to find out more about how they can get involved.

A GMI spokesperson said: “GMI Construction is looking to work alongside local businesses throughout this development project and invites local businesses to explore potential opportunities at a free Meet the Buyer event.

“As a local construction company we aim to use local businesses whenever possible.”

Lateral was granted planning permission for the £135m Five Towns Park development, at Glass Houghton, last February.

The site will include a new 10,000 capacity stadium for Castleford Tigers, a country park, shops and restaurants and a petrol station.

Last week, The Express revealed council leaders had stepped in to prevent Lateral from amending the plans.

The developer had applied to replace original proposals for a food store at the site with non-food retail space, as well as creating more smaller shopping units.

But councillors and people living in the area raised concerns that the alterations would lead to shops and customers abandoning Pontefract and Castleford town centres in favour of the development.

Lateral has since withdrawn the amended application and is working on further plans.

A spokesman said: “We want to ensure the roles of both town centres are not undermined by the Five Towns Park development.”

The meet the buyer event with GMI Construction takes place at Castleford Skills Exchange at Thunderhead Ridge.

It runs from 8.15am until 11am on Tuesday, April 5.