Stadium plan to keep Trinity in Wakefield

RUGBY LEAGUE club Wakefield Trinity’s Belle Vue stadium could be redeveloped under a new proposal which aims to keep the club in the city.

The move would see plans for a community stadium at Newmarket Lane scrapped for good in favour of Trinity remaining at their current home.

Wakefield Council has announced a deal which would see the club stay at Belle Vue next season ahead of building work starting on its redevelopment.

Trinity owners Michael Carter and Chris Brereton confirmed that they had given agreement in principle to the deal.

The new Super League-standard stadium at Belle Vue would be built by 2020, if the plan goes ahead.

Involved in the new proposal are the council, the club, Belle Vue owner 88m Group and Yorkcourt, the developer behind the Newmarket Lane scheme.

Council leader Peter Box said: “If we all work together, Wakefield Trinity fans can have a ground to be proud of.”

Wakefield Council said it was willing to take out a lease on the Belle Vue site in order to speed up the project.

Trinity had been considering a move to Dewsbury next season after Rugby League bosses warned that special permission to stay at dilapidated Belle Vue could not simply keep being extended.

The Newmarket Lane plan has suffered multiple setbacks and disputes over how best to get the stadium built.

Mr Carter said: “Myself and Chris Brereton are happy, after some tense negotiations, that we have agreed in principle a future ground for Wakefield Trinity.”