wakey have their hat in the ring again

[wacker]

Found this on BBC website go there for the full story.

A private benefactor will pay off Wakefield Wildcats' outstanding tax bill if the club gets planning permission for a new ground.

If we get a franchise it may not be Wakey that we replace now!!!

It looks as though it depends on the outcome of a planning meeting in Wakey tomorrow night.

I have to admit the twists and turns are compelling.

BTW good luck Mr Gannon you have never give anything less then 100% for Widnes.

[cheadleviking]

Thats it pile some pressure on those planners? 

[J20]

After Leighton Samuel & all failed stadium promises I really can't see the RFL giving anyone or thing the benefit of the doubt anymore. All Wakey can achieve tommorow is outline planning permission... Making them still at the bottom of 'new stadium' pile. IRS also worrying that the club said HMRC bill was a non issue now issuing an over the moon media piece that some random wants to pay it off? :S

[MA]

After Leighton Samuel & all failed stadium promises I really can't see the RFL giving anyone or thing the benefit of the doubt anymore.

I can. Out of Wakey, Salford, Cas and Saints - I can see Cas and Wakey having difficulty getting their stadiums started by the time of license applications. Salford and Saints have been clearing and preparing their sites for so long that the builder's fag stumps are now considered relics that require conservation orders.

Wakefield's news for me is nothing more than an ultimatum or blackmail.

[Peter]

Looks like a bit of blackmail to me. If the planners say no then Wakefield are back in court and then gone.  If the planners say yes, I doubt whether a stadium could be built that quickly to the standard and safety required. and I doubt that the RFL would look at drawings and a building site again.

[Rafe Wrench]

It's a shame for them if they do go, they're a famous name and they've not been the worst team by any means in the league over their years in the top flight. But it's clear that the day of clubs in an embarrassing stadium are over.

[J20]

It's a shame for them if they do go, they're a famous name and they've not been the worst team by any means in the league over their years in the top flight. But it's clear that the day of clubs in an embarrassing stadium are over.

Problem is you would say their team has been ok as spent 100% of money on team and not anywhere else whatsoever? Bar one season of signing up top age academy players... who are now listed as first team yet don't play :S

At least with say Saints they have had an excellent side out and great youth set up for years to justify a dealyed move. Wakefield have spent 12 non broken (like Cas) years in SL and have won one playoff game and reached the cup semi final once whilst still playing in the worst SL stadium... somethings got to give!

[RB]

It has happened before at Wakefield.
They had a ''big backer'' when they tried to sign Jomo Lonu a few years ago and did sign a number of players on the back of this ''big backer''who promptly proved not to have the money and disapeared leaving them in schmuck.
The RFL have said they will not take promises into account now re grounds & funding so hopefully they will be true to their word.
If Wakefield have a backer , get planning permission and start to build their ground , fair play to them.
The RFL have said the ground must be finished, the stand at halifax was half completed for 8 years so it's a tight timetable for them now especially considering they promised to build a new ground if they were promoted in 1998.
The propergands is well on the way now. Martyn Sadler was saying that if Salford , Wakefield and Castleford all build their grounds who would drop out.
They won't be built by March 2011 so hopefully we will be confirmed as in at that time personally I have my doubts any will be built for season 2012 except probably Saints.

[J20]

'Approved'... though apparently will depend on them overturning the HA ruling that they won't build access roads, though at the time it said can't be re issued for 6 months!

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/BREAKING-Wakefield-Wildcats-stadium-plan.6594596.jp

[GRIFFIN]

As i said in another comment, i would like to see all clubs especially in SL playing in  new or good quality stadiums, so i rather hope that at some stage Wakefield do get a new ground, this is by no means a fully approved planning aplication. If the Highways Agency do not recind their decision, which knowing the area, i doubt, then this will go to Public Enquiry for access alone which will take 12 months.
Though Wakefield have previous in hoodwinking the RFL, even if they do get a stadium built in the next15 months, it matters little to us, as one existing SL club WILL be stepping down for us and this will put more pressure on Cas and also for Salford to make sure their ground gets built, but this initial mindfull to approve decision, is a long way from fial full approval and in some ways, all it does is shows WFC do not want to be seen as hindering Trinity and as they are putting no money in, they have nothing to lose and would sooner see the decision made at central government level after a public enquiry so that no one can say that any blame can be laid at the feet of WMC.

[reg warner]

The propergands is well on the way now. Martyn Sadler was saying that if Salford , Wakefield and Castleford all build their grounds who would drop out.
They won't be built by March 2011 so hopefully we will be confirmed as in at that time personally I have my doubts any will be built for season 2012 except probably Saints.

One Championship club which meets the 5 minimum criteria will be awarded a SL licence in March next year whether or not the RFL is satisfied that Salford, Wakey and Cas will have  new stadia by the start of the 2012.

[down the pub]

'Approved'... though apparently will depend on them overturning the HA ruling that they won't build access roads, though at the time it said can't be re issued for 6 months!

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/BREAKING-Wakefield-Wildcats-stadium-plan.6594596.jp

so the blackmail/persuasion thing worked then? what happens if this mystery blob doesn't cover their tax liability? i doubt that it'd be anywhere near ready if the access issue isn't resolved sharpish. then it comes to the funny money, i very much doubt - with the news that has come out this week in the spending review that the council will back both the wakey and cas developments or even one. with the strings being tightend as much as they are/will be, could they spend on something that culd be viewed a luxury?  

[J20]

Did they have outline planning permission for the last stadium drawing they came up with in 2007? They all seem to be acting as if they've just won the Challenge Cup, I mean people crying over gaining outline planning permission? I know it's been a tough time for Wakey but surely their fans more than any know you can't believe anything until you see it?

I mean even if their is a seperate pot to pay for ground and someone willing to pay HMRC debt, what have they still got left money wise? Though it would be a much more valuable investment to a potential new owner!

[reg warner]

There are a couple of posts on the totalrl messageboard by someone ("The Clan") who went to the Planning Meeting.  They say that it is "expected" and "the general consensus" is that the Secretary of  state won't call in the application but they don't say exactly who "expected" this to happen or who "the general consensus" relates to.  In the second post "The Clan" says that the developers stated that they were 90% along the way to having the highway issues resolved with the Highways Agency.  We will see whether this is all true. In any case this is an application for outline planning permission which does set down the principle if passed.  However before they can start the actual building work they will need a detailed permission from the Council.

http://www.totalrl.com/index.php?showtopic=209843&st=40&start=40

[Bruce Champion]

Too little too late for me - this should have been done 3 years ago, as should have Castleford.  Salford and Saints have been on-going for a while so I can't blame them too much, but particularly Wakefield, they've waited til the last minute and sat on their licence and suddenly thought, hang on a minute, we need to do something now.

We know all too well how long it takes to build a stadium, we had 12 months in the old Lowerhouse Lane end and saw scaffolding for months, Wakefield are a long way away and just having plans shouldn't mean they get a licence (though it worked for Salford last time).

I wouldn't be too concerned by this - fair play to them for trying, but it should have been 3 years ago!