Club appeal for help over stadium

Developers behind plans for a new 14,000-capacity Castleford Tigers stadium at Glasshoughton are asking Wakefield Council to step in and use compulsory purchase powers to acquire land it needs to make improvements to the local road network.

Detailed talks have been taking place between the developer and the council about the future of the stadium project and the work needed to improve local highways.

Those discussions are now almost concluded, according to a report due to be discussed by the council's Cabinet committee on Tuesday, April 27.

The report says that one of the planning conditions proposed would require the developer to carry out improvements to existing roads from Leeds Road, along Colorado Way to the proposed site.

One stumbling block has been the fact that some of the land needed for the development is owned by third party retail outlets.

The developer asked the council to consider the use of compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) on the access road for road improvements to be carried out.

The report says that council officials thought that that step was "too onerous an obligation for the council".

It says: "The developer had originally asked the council to commit now to pursuing compulsory purchase orders but officers felt this was too onerous an obligation.

"An alternative is that the council undertake to use reasonable endeavours (without fettering the ultimate discretion of the council) to work with the developer to deliver highway works.

"Some judgement will need to be made at the time of serving the orders as to the reasonableness based on the facts of the case as they then stand."

The council report contains three options for Cabinet members to consider.

Those are:

For the council to commit to pursuing compulsory purchase orders on behalf of the developer "irrespective of the circumstances".

For the council to undertake "reasonable endeavours in the light of the circumstances" in the future to support the developer by pursuing CPOs.

For the council to give no undertaking to use even reasonable endeavours to secure compulsory purchase of land along the access roads.

Council officers are now recommending option two to move the stadium plans forward.

"A commitment to use reasonable endeavours would demonstrate the council's commitment to delivering regeneration growth in terms of employ-

ment and sporting facilities

in a sustainable manner

should the realisation of these benefits be potentially frustrated by third parties," the report

concludes.

The authority says that an undertaking to use 'reasonable endeavours' on behalf of the developer would not directly cost any money, apart from legal fees and time of officers.

Any costs that are incurred could be recouped under the terms of an agreement with the developer, the report adds.

Any compensation that would need to be paid to landowners would also be picked up by the developer and not the council.

Earlier this year Castleford Tigers said that financial constraints could mean that initially the stadium would only be part-built, starting with two stands and developing the ends later.

Plans to sell the current stadium at Wheldon Road have been hit by the downturn.

Club chief executive Richard Wright said the project was moving forward and everyone involved was committed to dealing with the issues.