Joint press release issued by SWAG - Stadium Wakefield Action Group, Residents For Newmarket and Wakefield Trinity Supporters Trust in full [url=http://www.swag-online.co.uk/here[/url.

Wakefield versus Wakefield.

There can only be one winner.

The other face of Wakefield

[url=http://cominoweb.wakefield.gov.uk/Planning/StreamDocPage/obj.pdf?DocNo=5672161&PageNo=1&content=obj.pdfLinky![/url

It all boils down to the final paragraph at the bottom of the first page, if you ask me.
They want every development to be in Leeds.
He also seems to think that the entire development at NM is on greenbelt, and is happy to let everyone else believe that.
Get Jeremy Clarkson in to shoot him!

"high quality, accessible, informal recreational area, full of ecology and
biodiversity and quality agricultural land"...





..aka derelict mineworkings, tgb detritus and dumped tyres !!!

"I have real concern that, if approved, it will lead to pressure from developers
looking to encroach into the green belt on the Leeds side of the M62.".....wasn't there a sign up on said land, Rothwell side of Newmarket roundabout, advertising it as development land ?????

Just to correct you - He is right.

The [uentire[/u development at NM [uis[/u on greenbelt.

That is the main point why it was called in.

I beg to differ on this, I live right next to the site. A huge percentage of this site is made up of the old Newmarket pit spoil heaps that have been leveled off to make them look presentable. This land extends both sides of newmarket lane. The stacks to the right as you go towards Methley and to the left was the rail head and office complex. They talk about green belt and otter droppings, the only droppings on there belong to the locals dogs.

I thought that only the Stadium part was on green belt land and that was soon to be changed?
All the other stuff, warehousing etc was already classified as (B8?) development land?

“It is our contention that the future of this site should be decided by the residents of the City of Wakefield alone and, as has already been stated above, the people of Wakefield have already spoken and our voices demand to be heard!”

As Dboy put it - Methinks they doth protest too much.

That does not make sense. That is not a defense at all. It is saying, why should Leeds get to vito our work just because they want tkeep the developments and new jobs to their own initiatives.

The current planning classification of the whole Newmarket site is Greenbelt. This is a planning designation only, and affords any land contained within it (the greenbelt) a requirement for any planning application to demonstrate the need to develop this land ahead of land outside the current greenbelt.

The current Newmarket site is made up of predominately brownfield land, and the term brownfield means that the site has been previously developed, in this case for industrial usage in the form of the former Newmarket Colliery. The remaining land used proposed for use by the development is greenfield, the term greenfield mean it has not been previously developed; this is where the Stadium and Community Sports facilities will be sited. This land is low grade agricultural land at the moment.

Wakefield Council started the process of taking the brownfield land at the Newmarket site out of greenbelt around 2 years ago. This site will provide 51ha of B8 (warehousing and distribution) development land on the Newmarket site. This process is ongoing and will complete early next year. It look likley that the Newmarket site will be take out of the greenbelt, but of course our objector friends continue to argue that it should be another site.

However, some things that people need to understand.

Wakefield HAS to find at least 95 ha of land for B8 development on the M62 corridor for the period till 2022.

ALL the sites, that were considered suitable for initial assessment were ALL in the greenbelt. Wakefield then selected what they consider to be the most suitable sites, Newmarket being on of them. The other sites that make up the 95ha are also greenbelt.

However, what our objector friends fail to make clear to the public is that ALL the alternative rejected sites are greenbelt too!!! They might be claiming that this development should not be in the greenbelt, but what they are actually arguing (and for some reason they are happy for this not to be that clear to the public) is that they believe that this bit of greenbelt, you know, the one near them, is not as suitable as the greenbelt elsewhere and therefore they chose to build on these bits of greenbelt instead.

Suddenly, if you actually look at what they want in their objections it all becomes very clear... our greenbelt is more important than the greenbelt over there... because we don't live near that bit of greenbelt!

Finally, and another bit our objector friends don't tell you. 75% of the whole Wakefield district is greenbelt, so in order to free-up land then you have to release some greenbelt for development, simple as. What they also don't want you to know is the current LDF plan will see an additional 1% of land brought back into greenbelt by 2022, because other bits of former industrial land will be reclaimed to replace land taken out of greenbelt for development. So, in actual fact, in 2022 we will have 76% of the district within the greenebelt, meaning that even after releasing this and other land for development, we will gain more back in other areas!

Our objector friends are having to show their true colours now... this is not about 'the' destruction of greenbelt, it is just about the greenbelt near them! Hmmm, NIMBY's seems ever more fitting!

Just to add, ALL the land put forward by developers, including the rejected sites, for the legal requirement to find 95ha of B8 land on the M62 corridor, were in the greenbelt. I think we need to be clear on that also, don't you?

“As leader of the Council I would draw attention to the nearby Aire Valley Leeds Regeneration Scheme. This is well established as a regional regeneration priority providing significant opportunities for the sort of development that might otherwise be attracted to the Newmarket Lane site. Unlike Newmarket Lane the site is not in the green belt and has had substantial public investment in major highway infrastructure to open it up for development. More recently it has been selected by the LEP as an enterprise zone for the city region; every effort should be made to ensure the success of the enterprise zone for the wider benefit of the city region rather than unnecessarily releasing more green belt land for development only a few miles away along the motorway network”

Store wars, land wars, different sites to develop.
Sounds familiar?

Oh yes, hypocrisy is rife at all levels here... and Mr Wakefield is quite good at it.

Firstly, we have the arena wars between Leeds and Sheffield - Sheffield should keep it's nose out of our planning system. Obviously, we can stick our noses into Wakefield planning system... that is different!

Secondly, lets ask Mr Wakefield why Leeds City Council Executive committee, chaired by him, approved the inclusion of the proposed Newmarket Community Sports facilities as a training venue, (linked to Oulton Hall hotel for the accommodation) for the 2018 FIFA World Cup host city bid, in which they were successful. So had England secured the World Cup last year, would he still of changed his mind and objected to a scheme he supported???

Thirdly, it would seem that three years ago, when the Wakefield LDF core strategy included 95ha of B8 development land on the M62 corridor that he and Leeds CC were so concerned about the potential impact of the Aire Valley they did.... nothing, no objection, nothing!

Fourth, he is saying that Newmarket will impact on the Leeds City region and the Aire Valley should be given the priority, so what do you call all those massive tax and financial incentive LCC have just got from central government? Also, why do the actual Leeds City Region partnership, on which Leeds are represented, disagree with him and have stated that both the Aire Valley and the 95ha of land in WAKEFIELD (NOT LEEDS!) are required to meet the economic growth required for the region. It seems that one half of LCC doesn't know what the other half is doing!

Of course, it could be just that Mr Wakefield is a Methley councillor and he gives more of a stuff about keeping his own position as a councillor than the thousands of jobs both sites will generate?

I know absolutely nothing about all these planning ,development issues but on just finding out Mr Wakefield is a Methley councillor I cannot see how he can seen to be impartial in this issue.
I hope the inspector feels the same way too.
Nervous times for all.
After so many false dawns lets just hope things go our way this time.
Wish I could be there on the sixth.
To all of you who will be , well done in advance.

Parts that are greenbelt I thought it was coming off greenbelt land next year. Another point worth raising IA the bupa private hospital in Methley was built on Greenbelt/brownfield land but nobody battered a eyelid. 2000+ jobs built for free how can this be turned down in this current climate its a joke !

i dont pretend to know much about the ins and outs of greenbelt ect, all i know is i am worried that if we dont get newmarket we will be buggered, really need new stadium to kick on to next level in my humble opinion, are we confident of getting planning thru?? i do hope so i be crossing everything possible and will pray to the lord that we get the result we want

you could do with a new username that ones looking to good now