Wakefield clarify stadium stance

Wakefield will consider a possible ground share, but only at the Newmarket site, which they say has made significant progress.

The Newmarket site, located just off the M62, will have a 12,000 capacity stadium and the plans have been designed to include a number of health, education, sport and leisure related activities and could create up to 2,000 jobs in the region.

A ground-share between the Wildcats and Castleford was mooted recently, with the Tigers’ proposed Glasshoughton site said to be the favourite to house both clubs. However, Wakefield distance themselves from that, but say they would still be open to a ground-share at Newmarket.

A club statement said: “The Club want to place on record that whilst it is delighted to be an anchor tenant at Newmarket it is also looking forward to Wakefield & District Community Trust continuing its work to secure other end users at the facility.

“We are happy to ground share but we are not looking to utilise any facilities which may eventually be developed at Glasshoughton.”

The Newmarket proposal is a private, not a council, development and involves developers Yorkcourt Properties, the Wakefield and District Community Trust, Wakefield Wildcats and the Wakefield Metropolitan District Council, who have pledged support to the development in the form of a land donation at a value of around £2m.

The club is hoping to receive a decision on its outline planning permission application in September 2010 and that the stadium would take 46 weeks to develop, which would mean it could be ready in time for the start of the 2012 Super League season.

The statement added: “We feel we have made excellent progress in just under two years in reaching this stage and whilst there is still work to be done we are delighted to be in the position we are in.”