All we knew last night is that the HA had submitted a notice and not what was actually the reason or any details of the notice.... so no not really mate as we would have been speculating!

I still have not seen the report myself but looking at the planning officers report it does looking to be a purely technical issue, as I would have suspected, and know one seems to be worried that it can not be dealt with very quickly, even before the 22nd and of course in the 28 day window after the 22nd.

When I do see it I will know more but it has gone for now!

I think it might be article 14 notice mate but it would seem that does not stop a 'mindful to approve' decision looking at the report. It does however look like it would prevent and ratified approval, if after 28 days it comes back to WMDC, unless they have satisfied the Highways Agency to remove it before then. Is that you understanding of an article 14 notice? I will have to research it.

www.bywaysandhighways.co.uk/news/2/15 It does appear that even if an article 14 is issued it is possible to have it revoked. This is a company that deal with exactly this sort of situation.

www.bywaysandhighways.co.uk/news/2/15 It does appear that even if an article 14 is issued it is possible to have it revoked. This is a company that deal with exactly this sort of situation.

An Article 14 Notice can be removed at anytime the HA concerns have been addressed. I cannot see in the report a reference to an Article 14 Notice but one may have been issued. The Notice does not prevent a "mindful to approve" decision being made but the consent cannot be formally granted until the Notice has been removed.

Incidently the development at Glasshoughton had an Article 14 Notice issued and that was successfully dealt with by the developer.

I dont know how easy it will be to deal with the Notice (if one has been issued) until the HA's concerns are seen but I would have thought YorkCourt will already be on the case.

I had forgotten about the Article 14 notice on Glasshougton... you are correct, it get dealt with.

I understand that, notice or not, it is mainly asking for more information on the travel plan.

I with you, I think we are heading towards a 'mindful to approve' and then we just have to wait and see if it gets called in... but I also think it might just get handed back, which would be great news!

One thing all of this points to is that we need that support on Wood Street next Friday morning!

Hi everyone.Been watching all this from France for a few months
As a lifelong fan now in exile I am as desperate as you all are for a positive outcome on the 22nd.
Having read all the issues to be considered by council members at the meeting I was initially dismayed at the number of hurdles to be tackled.
Feel a bit better now as those who are obviously more experienced in these matters than myself remain positive.
Will be there in spirit on the 22nd.
Will definately be there for the first match at Newmarket.

i am going to miss the Leeds v Wakey derdy games.....

Derby even......

We won't miss you and your sarcy comments. Glad it humours you. Bye

Why - are they taking you away so to protect the public?

Got your work permit then.

Enjoy, I hope it works out for you.

no unfortunately the only thing being taken away is your super league license and given to Widnes. That I can say with 100 per cent certainty and I think deep down everyone on here knows it but does not want to accept it.
Even Richardson knows that is why after years of turning down investment, he is all of a sudden shouting from the rooftops to sell the club hoping some unsuspecting poked up millionaire to come along and give him the retirement fund he has already ed down the sink with bad business dealings!
For what it is worth kicking out Wakey is bull and it stinks and is pointless and what it will actually achieve is beyond me. Why they have to take one out is a joke and it would be easier to increase the league by 2 new teams if thats what they want.
Like I said i love the atmosphere a wakey Leeds game has especially at Belle Vue and the RFL are a bunch of jokers
and not a brain cell between them !!

Don't worry about it too much - there's a big dam full of water to pass under several bridges yet!

I think you may be given a lifeline by Crusaders going into Administration if the rumours actually happen.

However the RFL could decide to bring 2 teams up but I think, other than Widnes, you will fulfil the conditions of licence better if theres a chance you will have a stadium eventually within the 3 year licence. If Crusaders stay afloat it may be the end of the line which is a shame I dont want any RL side to be rejected a new ground the sport needs it as much as you do.

Don't forget to post the same thought on the Cas and salford boards as well.

Are true fans really concerned about the quality of grounds e.g. Wakefield, Salford, Castleford and even Saints I suppose?

If we were getting an average of 12k for each team maybe an issue but when has any game in the recent past refused admittance at the grounds mentioned. I know I am old fashioned but some of the best atmospheres in recent past are at the grounds mentioned.

I suspect all of the above will end up with similar stadia (is that the correct plural phrase?) but will lose the atmosphere. It has taken us 10 years plus to have something similar but we will never re create Central Park for a Saints Derby, but the JJB or DW has created its own atmosphere probably different but OK.

After saying this, people and history and the product they are watching are what matters. Glory fans come and go true fans last forever.

even true fans are now questioning why we can't have similar stadium to fred, tom and harry
bit like keeping up with the Jones'

Great post. One of my fondest memories was going over to Widnes one night after school and watching a great game (which we eventually lost!). It was windy, raining, sleet, and everything else possible, and just as we were about to get in the ground the floodlights failed. They eventually kicked off an hour later, and Geoff Bagnall and John Devereux were the stars of the show that night. It was after midnight when we got home, but it was a great game, a great atmosphere and a great night. I don't think it would have been so memorable if I was sat in a nice seat all nice and warm (althought at the time I wouldn't have minded!).

An interesting post and one that I whole heartedly disagree with!

I think you are right when you say true 'current' fans are not bothered about the quality of grounds but how do you encourage the next generation of loyal fans if you are playing in sub-standard and outdated stadia? As more and more things compete for our leisure time and disposable income we can't just say, well 'us' loyal fans don't care, we would go watch our teams in a muddy field! However, you then go on to talk about the best atmospheres and isn't it this that turned you into a loyal fan? If people don't come through the turnstile in the first place because they are discouraged by shabby grounds how do they get their nostalgic moment in the first place? If they are presented with a nice modern football or Rugby Union ground instead they will probably choose to got there instead.

Club Rugby Union in England is a good example of why this matters. It is only 5 or 6 years ago that Rugby League was the second biggest weekly spectator sport after football and only 2 years ago that we still had the best supported Rugby team in England in Super League (and this had been the case for some time, with Wigan, Bradford & Leeds all holding that title) . Now Rugby Union is the second biggest and they also now have the best supported Rugby club in Leicester Tigers... who are the second phase of a major redevelopment of their Wellford Road ground. Top flight Rugby Union is being generally played in modern stadium (some of them football stadia) and along with good marketing of an inferior product has lead them to grow average attendances significantly.

I like nostalgia and history too but you should not let that get in the way of development! I can think back to being at Headingley for the CC game against Widnes in 1987 when 27,000 were packed in, the CC Semi Final at Central Park in 1994 when Leeds got to Wembley for the first time since 1978! But if we don't attract new people to the games in the first place when will they have their nostalgia moment, what games will they look back on?

We should not let nostalgia and history get in the way of change and development and therefore the future of RL!

My thoughts exactly IA.

I will watch Wakefield even if they are playing on Heath Common, [ubut[/u I'd far rather watch them in a nice sparkly stadium, and I'm more likely to to take my family there, and more likely to go when it is peeing it down, and more likely to invite friends that support another sport and feel pride about my club......and on top of that we are more likely to gain sponsorship and investment for all those reasons too.

To me its not a big issue. York Court have made huge developments all over the UK im sure they have had words with the highways boys before. Them and the highways need to sit down and work together see whats acceptable. All this hard work cannot go up in smoke because some road may cause a issue. The road system up there is not safe anyway pulling out of newmarket to the middle and then going to leeds its dodgy anyway this development will improve the road system thisis someone who knows how dangerous it is as i have been using that road for 20 + years !

Its nothing to do with what you're saying the point is that the sport needs to progress to keep up with other sports so it doesn't go under. To do this it needs to be attractive. Im not local to wakefield so I cant use your place as an example but i have an example related to Saints. There was a forum for the lower football league that St Helens Town play in (shared knowsley road) and even the fans of that league described KR as a "sh*thole".

This doesn't make RL look good when lower league football stadia are of a higher quality.


This is the problem NOT atmospheres or attendances its just the sport needs to progress modernise and to do this the Stadiums have to be better.

I prefer the open aspects of going to Knowsley Road, The Jungle and Headingley etc. The only positive about being packed like a sardine in one of the newer grounds is that all of the away fans are together. Other than that it's an uncomfortable experience at the likes of Galpharm, Wigan and Hull etc.