Wakefield look to leave Belle Vue

Wakefield chairman Michael Carter says the club have served notice to leave Belle Vue at the end of the season.

In the ongoing saga over the future of Trinity and a development of a new stadium, Carter remains frustrated over the lack of progress at their historic home.

It means that once again Wakefield’s future looks uncertain.

Writing in his programme notes for Sunday’s win over Salford, Carter said: “We have given notice to quit the Beaumont Legal Stadium at the end of the year.

“There will be further announcements in due course, but we gave a deadline of six months last September, and literally noting has happened since.

“Super League have just introduced Minimum Ground Standards again as part of an overall Reward Funding policy, and needless to say, we cannot meet this standard as the ground stands.

“This will have a significant effect on the club moving forward and therefore we have no choice but to look for pastures new.”

The news comes at the end of week in which it was revealed that the RFL would welcome moves from existing Super League clubs to other towns and cities.

Belle Vue is one of the few surviving stadiums since rugby league was formed in 1895.

Wakefield had hoped to move to the Newmarket site, off the M62, and planning permission was provisionally granted as long ago as 2012.

In July last year, Carter revealed in a similar manner that Wakefield were looking to move for 2017, and they were set to groundshare with Dewsbury until a late change of circumstances saw them remain at Belle Vue.

The club also served its six months notice to leave in 2015.