@DavidSpereall

The council's legal adviser Kevin Winter tells the planning committee that councillors have to vote on this matter as a stand alone application.
In other words, ignore the stadium agreement.

'Meeting told that council requested contribution from Yorkcourt towards the stadium as part of this app. Developers replied that this was "not a legitimate" request because the warehouse is a stand alone app. Council took legal advice, which supported Yorkcourt's view. On that basis, officers have recommended planning permission for warehouse be approved in the pre-meeting report. It will now be debated by councillors after speakers from both sides have had their say.'


In other words, we're getting nothing and the council won't do anything to stop Yorkcourt taking the peas...

@DavidSpereall

'"The council very actively promoted this scheme and didn't distinguish between stadium and other applications that run alongside it," Kevin Swift says, to applause from public gallery.'

Sounds like we are putting up a good fight!

@DavidSpereall

Kathy Scott asks if the local authority is in contravention of any rules because it allowed Greenbelt land to be adopted for development (for the stadium) under special circumstances. Council officer says that's not the case cos developers aren't harming the environment

@DavidSpereall

"This is an absolute mess," Coun Swift says. "Partly because of the piecemeal nature of the app. The reason why there's no stadium isn't an accident."
Says that the stadium app and other apps for buildings on the site went through together and weren't separate

"It (stadium) can't just be put to one side. And if you do, we've got to have a serious think about what planning permission we put on this site in future. This site was promoted by the council as stadium, stadium, stadium. Leading council spokespeople referred to it as a stadium

@DavidSpereall

He cintinues: "People who were opposed to it were given a very hard time, in the local press as well.
The development of the site can't be looked at without the stadium. It's got to be treated as central."
Adds there will be "negative consequences." More applause from gallery

@DavidSpereall

Council officer says his view is approving the warehouse won't prejudice the stadium. Legal adviser Kevin Winter tells planning committee there must be "robust and defensible" reasons for denying it.

Unbelievable....

The vote: application is refused by councillors to loud applause.
Only councillor who didn't vote as such was Tony Wallis, who abstained because he missed he start of the meeting

WE WON!!!!

Glad it's been refused but is it a Pyrrhic Victory as we still have nothing to show from Yorkcourt.

Wow. Thought that was going very much the other way.
Well done all involved. It's a small step but a good step all the same. Sounds like we have some backers for a change.

And highly likely never will. Whilst good i'd say it's less a case of we won but more that they lost. And they will no doubt appeal.

'Angry shouts from public gallery as Kevin Winter says "frustration over community stadium," can't be used as a reason. Warns that appeal from developers may succeed if committee doesn't come up with legally sound reasons'


Nice to hear the cretins are getting their back up that they can't have it entirely their way.

Yep, developer will appeal, council won't defend itself citing cost but look to have 'fought' for the stadium to save face. Yorkcourt get permission to build warehousing and stick another two fingers up at the public.

Did the trust get to speak?

Also, does this now mean there is no good news around the corner?

One good thing with all this is that NOBODY can deny knowledge of the community stadium being linked to the release of land for development, which certain councillors hid behind last time round.
I dont know if there is a way for the council to say than not a stone can be laid at Newmarket until there is absolute commitment to build the stadium.

Well done to those who again have given their time and effort on this one, the struggle continues

Slightly happy!

Really pleased for you. Not many in the public gallery, but made ourselves heard with applause at statements made in our favour. Councillors Swift and Scott were robust in their questioning.

I would of blown a fuse if I'd of been there, well done to all that was but were still in the same position as before with YC being as stubborn as a mule with no give

is it wrong for me to think that the so said good news was news about progress to the stadium and not the opposition to york courts application so while I'm happy to hear that there's a delay on it we are still no further to securing the start.

why would box claim such a statement again I feel let down with him again

Yes, but I only had 2 minutes. TRB spoke on behalf of SWAG and Mary Creagh spoke.

We must have done okay because I did not expect anything other than an approval.

How does this effect the rumoured Belle Vue development? Will the rumoured good news be announced soon.

Up the Trin

Good stuff. No doubt it will have helped particularly with Piatt's stance, this after accepting SWAG's support and the goodwill of the fans and general wakefield public. I also expected an approval but I know councils can't often afford to defend the case when it's taken to appeal.

I guess yourself or Phil will know whether the 'good news' was linked to a positive judgement on this application?

I wonder if this is the same person that gave the Council the previous *in house* legal advice that the Council could not provide evidence of, when the stadium trust requested.

I wondered the same, no mention of any proof/details regarding this advice still (going by the Twitter feed anyway)

Sorry guys, I still don't get it.

Surely a better result for us would have been approved subject to a new watertight s106 agreement??? Could the planning committee have done that? Or are Yorkcourt now saying that s106 agreements are not legally enforceable and therefore there would be no point?

I get that it is good news in that YC don't get to make more profit and not contribute anything, but it doesn't help WT in getting a stadium does it? Or am I missing something?

I don't get it either Fordy but I have come to this conclusion - Yorkcourt have absolutely no intention of providing a stadium and never did have. They cheated and deceived and are still doing it. Anything that hinders their progress at doing the same can only be applauded.
If I had the money I'd personally pay to fight their appeal . I sincerely hope they go bust somewhere along the line. Capitalist scum!