It certainly was.

It was the other side of Balne Lane bordered by Silcoates Street and Blackthorne Way and realistically was never a viable proposition due to extremely limited access points.

Not sure I totally agree. It was viable if the council had ever seriously wanted it to be, but the investment, the effort and the imagination was always beyond them. So in that respect I agree, it was never on.

About 25% of British stadiums have as bad if not worse access than Balne lane so it’s nowhere near impossible. However most are down to their Victorian legacy, you’d have to seriously question any council in the 21st century that deliberately built one from scratch!

Another couple of Documents today.
I’ve inserted a couple of paragraphs
Consultee Comment. POLICE ARCHITECTURAL LIAISON.

Consultee Comments
I can now detail my observations in relation to the details/plans submitted.
The revised layout has resulted in my previous concerns being addressed and therefore I have no objection to the approval of this application.
The advice provided in respect of the recommended security standards for fencing, doorsets, windows etc. continue to remain.

Consultee Comment. YORKSHIRE WATER

Water Supply
NOTE: A supply can be made available under the terms of the Water Industries Act 1991. However, in this rural area, the available water supply is very limited locally.
We strongly recommend early consultation with our Water Network Engineering team should anything more than domestic use supply be required. Should this be the case, we it is likely that mains reinforcement is required to supply this site.
The costs for this work to be undertaken is high and may be prohibitive to this development.

There s a couple of pages with a fair bit of information, but,
The last line of the above paragraph caught my eye.
I’m sure the developers will have worked out the costing in fine detail for the development, but I’ve seen from recent documents how many organisations and service providers are involved and an idea now of the extra costs involved.
Will there be enough money left to provide for stadium redevelopment.

You'd assume that was in the plans. TBF just looking at the new stand it's clear that the water usage will go up so it's a fair point.

I’m not sure if we’re on the same page Vasty, these documents I’ve been referring to recently, are all linked to the Development at Newmarket Lane, not the Stadium redevelopment.

So sorry, thought it was the stadium, understood



I have always said these things were not my bag

I’ve been that busy looking at the plot 8 documents updates, I overlooked our own Stadium redevelopment application. 2 new documents a few days ago. 20 Oct 2021. COMMUNITY USE STRATEGY. 20 Oct 2021. SUMMARY FINANCIAL BUSINESS PLAN 2021 Too much info to paste onto here, just Click the link, then tap the little document icon at the end of the row. https://planning.wakefield.gov.uk/onlin ... 7D2QQJOS00 Happy reading

I’ve been that busy looking at the plot 8 documents updates, I overlooked our own Stadium redevelopment application. 2 new documents a few days ago. 20 Oct 2021. COMMUNITY USE STRATEGY. 20 Oct 2021. SUMMARY FINANCIAL BUSINESS PLAN 2021 Too much info to paste onto here, just Click the link, then tap the little document icon at the end of the row. https://planning.wakefield.gov.uk/onlin ... 7D2QQJOS00 Happy reading

Quote ="Dunkirk Spirit"I’ve been that busy looking at the plot 8 documents updates, I overlooked our own Stadium redevelopment application. 2 new documents a few days ago. 20 Oct 2021. COMMUNITY USE STRATEGY. 20 Oct 2021. SUMMARY FINANCIAL BUSINESS PLAN 2021 Too much info to paste onto here, just Click the link, then tap the little document icon at the end of the row. https://planning.wakefield.gov.uk/onlin ... 7D2QQJOS00 Happy reading'" Explained yourself properly at last

Quote ="Dunkirk Spirit"I’ve been that busy looking at the plot 8 documents updates, I overlooked our own Stadium redevelopment application. 2 new documents a few days ago. 20 Oct 2021. COMMUNITY USE STRATEGY. 20 Oct 2021. SUMMARY FINANCIAL BUSINESS PLAN 2021 Too much info to paste onto here, just Click the link, then tap the little document icon at the end of the row. https://planning.wakefield.gov.uk/onlin ... 7D2QQJOS00 Happy reading'" Explained yourself properly at last

Excellent work yet again DS



....some interesting reading on there even though the sensitive details have been redacted (for obvious reasons) but the two interesting parts that stuck out for me were :-

"Notwithstanding the above, there is a desire within Super League to move to a franchise arrangement whereby only clubs with 21st century quality facilities may play at Super League level."......if, and it's a big IF, that does happen then surely Cas would find themselves in trouble ??

and

"The total cost of the Phase II redevelopment is in the region of £12m."...that is some serious cash and I believe the figure mentioned for Yorkcourt and Boot's contribution is £6m (?) so if that is correct then the council and club are funding the remainder ??

Assuming it all comes to fruition (obviously we've been here before) then £12m should bring Belle Vue well and truly into the 21st century at long last

£12 million sounds a huge figure for tarting up the North Stand and a new East Stand

Yes, I noticed the £12 million figures, that’s a lot more than the enabling development contributions, as shown from the recent “revised planning statement”, shown below.As far as I am aware, the £12 million only covers the building work already stated.

11.7 The financial contribution demonstrated by the viability appraisal to be affordable of £8.3m is sufficient to fund the works at Belle Vue proposed to be undertaken by Newmarket Lane Limited (the works are subject to a planning application which is being concurrently with this application). and hence capable of delivering the financial contribution to the works cost. Newmarket Lane Limited will let the contract for those works and will be the employer under that contract. It is envisaged that the contract will be let in late 2021 with a 12 month construction period. Newmarket Lane Limited and its contractor will be granted a licence by Spirit of 1873 Limited to enter onto the ground at Belle Vue for the purposes of carrying out those works. The Spirit of 1873 Limited will fund and appoint the contractor for carrying out the works that it has identified as carrying out. Between Newmarket Lane Limited and the Spirit of 1873 Limited, the entire works package will be delivered.

I can see the 12 million figure which sounds a lot but be prepared for a surprise on that, maybe. What I don't see is the figure that the developer will only be putting in 6 million. The last figure I heard was 8 million, however, that was 18 months ago and it was not official.

I have no idea as to what WMDC intent to do but I don't think Trinity will be putting in any cash other than that earmarked for the 4G pitch, I don't think they have any.

I assume that land values and building costs have scored in the last few years and this new figure encompasses that. Who knows, not us.

Prices have shot up especially the last year, the new east stand contains lots of facilities so 12m doesn’t surprise me considering it was reported £400,000 for the new floodlights. Think the Newmarket stadium was going to cost 19m that was 11 years ago you could probably double that for a new stadium now.
Really hope this does actually happen and hopefully get some good news in the next few weeks.

Up the Trin

That’s how I see it. Also I believe the plans for the stand now include executive boxes. An added expense but I have to say a huge revenue maker for the club, the lack of them was also a surprise omission from the original plan.

As for NM 19 million was always optimistic, I’d have expected a 25% overspending on that and it to eventually cost 24 million. A conservative estimate would put NM today at approx 30 - 35 million.

So 12 million is still daylight robbery where YC is concerned IMHO.

My great hope is that YC need this deal as much as we do and due to this we’ve rung out of them a bit more cash for a few add ons.

The plans for East Stand on the Portal, are still showing just the Hospitality block in the centre section of the stand, and not showing the new application for the full length use for hospitality. I don’t know if a new application would be required, because the overall shape and size of the Stand will still remain the same as the initial application.

Don’t know anything about construction so where are we now and what’s the next steps going forward?

Unable to move forward very much until the application for the Newmarket plot 8 and our Stadium redevelopment application is passed, Hopefully November 18th, but planning meetings have been cancelled in the past.
If, trinity and Developers have agreed the funding, then work will probably start before the end of this year. It will be a 12 month build, it’s taken 11 years from when the SoS authorised the planning application for The Newmarket site. Recent events have raised hope that it will finally happen,

No, I don't know either. I don't think it would be required from a planning aspect because as you say it doesn't alter the structure externally. But I do know that oddball things sometimes need to be taken on board, like parking and extra oxygen used when breathing

so there might be. That said you'd assume the developer will know and would have catered for it.

I have no real insider knowledge but the impression I've got is that the club has pushed hard for a better deal and looking at that 12 million figure I'm hoping they may have got it.



Won't be long now before we know

You'd be surprised mate (as I am), Cas need to do very little to bring it up to super league requirements. The official mantra is that while ever there is still a chance of the new stadium they don't want to spend money on the jungle.

Which was also the mantra at BV until very recently. Things changed when it became clear that the developers never intended to fulfil their legal requirements. This coincided with regaining ownership of the ground along with some surrounding land to make development more feasible.

I think WR already has more seating, (2500 min?) Pitch size seems more flexible these days. Floodlights may need replacing.
The problem is, meeting minimum standards is just treading water and a stay of execution. Stadia need to generate income on matchday and beyond in order to maintain a sustainable club.

Should the current plans come to fruition , BV would be moving in that direction.

Superficially you are probably right, maybe a few million, but in every other sense, you are miles off.

Every penny of let's say the 1,5 million you invested to bring it up to standard would give you zero return. It wouldn't gain you one extra fan, one extra bit of corporate cash and most importantly it wouldn't increase the club's ability to generate money outside of match days, it would be disastrous in the long term.

Now I'm far from boasting because as yet our redevelopment remains a pipe dream until those diggers appear it's not real as far as I'm concerned. However what we are trying to do is almost identical to what Cas need to do if they stay at Weldon Rd, they need to turn it into a 12/7 business. If you don't and other clubs, even ourselves should we be successful,l will eventually leave you in their wake. You have a great supporter base and you are moderately competitive now but it will be difficult to maintain if you stay as you are.

You need a new main stand, the old one is part wood and hopelessly inadequate and can't be updated. You desperately need something similar to our proposed new East stand. That's 8 million all day long. The rest of the ground is adequate other than it needs new toilets throughout and vastly improved food and drinks outlets if it's to make serious money. That's another 2 million easily and don't even get me started on your floodlights!

That's what you need if you are to retain the fans you have, add to the fanbase, increase corporate and empty the deeper pockets of the more affluent fans the new stand should attract.

It's the only way. How you fund that I don't know. You could sell your training pitch, access grants, and do some sort of debenture scheme but the club would need to still find a good 50%. I think that's possible but you'd feel the pinch on the field for a while.

Sorry but that's how I see it, if you stop at the Jungle it will not be cheap.

Just to clarify the whole of the north stand will be refurbished?niot just what’s under cover now but the whole lot sides the whole sabang

Just to clarify the whole of the north stand will be refurbished?niot just what’s under cover now but the whole lot sides the whole sabang

Yea and no. The front terracing is considered sound and level and will be left. All the terracing above the walkway including the corner bit near the refreshments hut will be relayed and levelled.

The very top level of terracing will be removed to make it a single depth across instead of the extra tier that’s currently there. The levelled bit will become a rear concourse with drink and food outlets I believe. It all on the plans on the planning portal.

Hope that makes sense.