Marks and Spencer, Next, Primark and Boots coy over Castleford's Axiom development as planners claim it will now open in 2022

Four big retailers lined up to front Castleford's new Axiom development have all refused to confirm they will definitely open stores on the site.
An artist's impression of how the completed Axiom scheme would look.An artist's impression of how the completed Axiom scheme would look.
An artist's impression of how the completed Axiom scheme would look.

A huge new shopping complex accompanied by a new 10,000 seater stadium for Castleford Tigers was given planning permission in 2015, but is yet to be built.

The Harrogate-based developers behind the scheme blamed Brexit for the delays last year, but insisted work would start on site in 2019.

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On its website, which features glittering artists' impressions of how the Axiom would look, the Lateral Property Group now says work will start this year and be completed by 2022.

The retail site would be accompanied by a brand new 10,000 seater stadium for Castleford Tigers.The retail site would be accompanied by a brand new 10,000 seater stadium for Castleford Tigers.
The retail site would be accompanied by a brand new 10,000 seater stadium for Castleford Tigers.

It's also just submitted a planning application to Wakefield Council to scrap a number of conditions preventing any building until certain details, including a drainage scheme for the site, have been finalised.

The group said last year it had signed up Marks and Spencer's, Next, Primark and Boots to do business at Axiom and all four names appear on designs found on the website dedicated to the development.

But none of those brands would confirm if they were still committed to the scheme when approached.

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Planning documents put forward to Wakefield Council last year said that M&S would occupy the "largest anchor store" at the centre of the development. They also said that Primark and Next would move into units on the site's main terrace.

M&S said it was "looking forward to hearing more about the development", despite the retailer being earmarked for the complex's central store in planning documents.M&S said it was "looking forward to hearing more about the development", despite the retailer being earmarked for the complex's central store in planning documents.
M&S said it was "looking forward to hearing more about the development", despite the retailer being earmarked for the complex's central store in planning documents.

But asked last week if the retailer was still going to open a store on the site, a spokeswoman for M&S said: "We’re always on the lookout for potential new locations for our stores.

"Whilst we don’t have anything to confirm, we look forward to hearing more about the Axiom development as it progresses in the future."

Pressed on whether M&S had signed up to the scheme, the spokeswoman said they were unable to comment on contractual affairs.

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Primark, which had been earmarked for a store on the east of the development's main terrace, said: "As we operate under a public company, we do not comment on speculation around new store openings."

Next, which was expected to occupy a unit on the western side of the terrace, did not respond to a request for comment.

Boots, which announced plans to shut 60 of its stores across the UK last week, also failed to respond.

The Lateral Property Group has been repeatedly contacted for comment about its request to Wakefield Council to scrap the conditions and about the responses of the retailers.

They have yet to respond.

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On its website, the firm says: "We are incredibly proud of this ground breaking development which we are undertaking in joint-venture partnership.

"Predicted to become a top 40 UK retail centre, Axiom will exceed expectations with a constantly changing, innovative retail and leisure community designed for the Instagram generations.

"Construction will commence this year and Axiom will open in 2022."

Local Democracy Reporting Service

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