MP plans public meeting to ‘find a way forward’ in stadium saga
A POLITICIAN has called on Wakefield Council to stop “finger pointing” in the dispute over plans for a new sports stadium in the town.
Morley and Outwood Conservative MP Andrea Jenkyns said she shares her frustration “with the Stadium Trust, Wakefield Trinity, the fans and the wider community” over the situation.
“This blame game must stop and the council must step up to help the people of Wakefield,” she said.
She is planning a joint meeting between the Stadium Trust, the developer Yorkcourt and the council where the public can attend “to finally agree a way forward for the benefit of everyone”.
Trust member Chris Brereton claimed in The Yorkshire Post recently that the council could end up in court for failing to enforce a Section 106 agreement on the proposed 12,000-seater ground on reclassified green belt land at Newmarket, Wakefield.
The council issued a statement responding to the criticism, insisting it was not at fault and it was the responsibility of the Trust and developer to deliver the stadium. However, the Trust responded with an official 2,000word statement detailing why it believes the council has made crucial errors meaning not a single brick has been laid on the site five years on from a legal agreement being made.
The saga dates back to 2012 when the Secretary of State determined the green belt land could be reclassified for development, only if the developer handed 35 acres to the Community Trust and contributed £9m towards the cost of building the stadium, where Wakefield Trinity hope to be anchor tenants.