Wakefield Trinity given £8.8m funding for Belle Vue revamp

An £8.8m sum to redevelop Wakefield Trinity's Belle Vue ground has been approved by councillors.

Trinity were granted permission to overhaul their home by the Planning and Highways Committee in December 2021.

The ground does not presently meet Super League's minimum requirements, with the club given annual dispensation from the Rugby Football League.

As part of the plans, Trinity will replace the existing east stand with a two-storey, 2,507-seat stand.

The city's former MP Mary Creagh previously described failures to deliver the stadium as "the biggest game of cat and mouse in Wakefield Council's history".

Historically, planning consent was granted for commercial development of greenbelt land at Stanley, with developer Newmarket Lane Limited proposing to provide a new stadium for Trinity as part of the scheme.

However, the developer failed to deliver the stadium and instead applied for planning consent to build warehouses on the site earmarked for the ground.

They therefore promised to fund the Belle Vue revamp, provided the warehouses were approved and built, agreeing to contribute the £8.8m towards redevelopment.

The money will make up about 80% of the funding needed, with the rest coming from the club and £2m from a rugby league resilience fund set up by Wakefield Council last November.

Trinity chairman John Minards told the planning committee that the revamp, which will also see the car park resurfaced and a new 4G pitch being laid, was vital to the club's future.

Mr Minards said the ground in its current form showed an image of "dereliction and decay".

Speaking at last year's committee meeting, he said: "We have a simple vision, which is to be a sustainable Super League club situated in the city of Wakefield, that promotes the physical and mental health and wellbeing of the people of Wakefield, and that represents Wakefield in elite sport."