Think that's precisely what it is, but Tesco also go on to say that other Supermarkets have deemed the site insufficient for food retail (size, parking etc)

It's a rather vague statement, though, isn't it? What may be too small for Tesco may not be too small for Aldi or Lidl (unless you already have one or both of these). Either way, it implies that Tesco are still looking at Castleford as a viable location, depending on whether they get their ideal site and can keep their competitors out of town. All to play for, as they say.

FWIW The difference is this -



Aire Street Food retail (Tesco/morrison??) is approx 7500 sq meters spread over 2 floors (with all the added service/running costs that would come with it) within a 7 storey block including car parking, other retail and 80 appartments on a small footprint town centre(!!) site.



Wheldon Road food retail is 8000 sq meters in an "off the shelf flat pack" building plus parking and petrol station all on ground level with easy build access.



Which would you or I or Tesco or Morrisons go for?



AFAIK Aldi or Lidl don't do 8000 sq metre supermarkets.

I'd go for the smaller area, as I don't have sufficient stuff to sell on 8 sq metres, never mind 8,000.





Seriously, though... I wasn't suggesting either Lidl or Aldi do large developments, and I don't know which supermarkets already exist in Cas. However, a smaller retail area may be of interest to either of those chains, if they have no presence in the town, and may put Tesco off developing a larger plot, even if it is at less cost. I don't think either chain would be considered as Tesco's main rivals, but they may take sufficient trade away to make a Tesco development elsewhere less viable. I'm only commenting on a possible reason for the Tesco objection to development from what I've read of their submission, nothing more.

Ok final post on this without any fact being given



A few wakey fans quote as knowing for sure that Tesco have pulled out

Please show your source " the fact "



Well come on then

There are no facts - that's patently obvious. It's all rumours/conjecture. Perhaps someone has been creating rubbish and feeding it to the Wakey lot over't common in the hope of putting more obstacles in the way of Opus. Who knows?

The hypocrisy is breath taking on you Fully mate. You've done nothing but shout about the Glasshoughton project from the tree tops when you don't actually have a clue whats going on. Your first reaction to this latest news was to plaster it all over the forums with your own personal spin on it. Your only source of information is Dickie Wrights press releases and your own personal speculation. We've had all this with the Ben Bailey housing project that I told you was doomed to failure without any extra funding. This Opus thing has more holes in it than a block of Swiss cheese. Nobody outside of the inner circle knows what’s going so please don't pretend you do!

How did I know when I opened the thread to your post, that it would be quoting me.



Obsessed. Predictable. Boring. Move on.



PS. You don't know me nor what I know. Please go bore someone else.

My source is a Director of Limes Development, he's acted as an Agent for Tesco for over 20 years, if Tesco heve bought a site anywhere in the UK you can bet that the paperwork has crossed his desk at some point and if it's a major build or a tactically difficult situation he'll have dealt with it personally.



I've known him for over 10 years via two separate and very different transactions.

I have read this thread with, well disappointment mainly, but do have a view on this.



Essentially the Carlton Lanes/bottom of Cas car park has been stagnant for the best part of five years and be assured if ANY credible developer thought they could make money with the project, it would not have lain dormant for that period. That is a FACT and nobody can deny this regardless of reason.



Secondly, the change in status of certain businesses around Wheldon Road means that land in that area is a significantly more viable proposition than it was a couple oif years ago - again - FACT.



Opinions part:

Castleford and Fryston has grown hugely in the areas beyond WR toward the A1/Fairburn area and in my view there is no other Supermarket particularly in the close catchment for that area, so I would give that scheme some logic.



It is my belief that the Town Centre Development was always a non-starter based on cost of construction, cost of land and basic access, but, the group that put together the initial planning and the people in the WMDC group that backed it and were describing it as the saviour of the town and staking their credibility on the Town Centre project going ahead now get a free walk away option without looking daft:

They get to say, well the Town Centre scheme was my preference, but Opus put a compelling case forward and we couldn’t match it - all the while with their fingers crossed behind their backs becuase with the market and finaincial austerity there is really only the Opus scheme in my view that COULD fly, that is not to say it will, there still needs to be favourable winds, but it COULD.



There you go, my opinion, I am not an expert but I know my way round some capital investments and businesses. Do your worst.

See the official club site for today's update about the sale of WR.

Thread cleaned up and actions taken as necessary. If it happens again, it and any subsequent threads on the same subject WILL BE LOCKED.

One potentially good thing about Tesco maintaining interest in Wheldon Road (assuming they are) is that councils in the past have made funding of linked developments part of the deal. If I understand it correctly, Tesco are behind part of the funding behind the new Saints ground, and I know they are being asked to upgrade part of the adjoining Yorkshire cricket ground at Scarborough as part of their planning application.



I think it works out that they get planning permission provided they prop up financially what is a linked development (not dissimilar to Yorkcourt at Newmarket), which would I assume sort out any shortfall between the value of Wheldon Road and Glasshoughton.



I may be way out factually, but that is how I have seen it happen. Ask Saints who paid for their ground.

This is part (and I think the crux) of today's statement by Opus.



"I'd personally like to underline our full commitment to delivering this project and to emphasise the large amount of time and resource already invested in it by our team. We aim to publically announce some good news regarding the commitment of a retail operator in the next three to four months. We will then be able to assess more accurately the completion date for the new community Stadium." (DN not before the start of 2013 season)



If that commitment is contractual the news might be good but who'd be surprised if, in three to four months time, they're telling us about an operator whose 'commited to the concept' but not expected to sign-up for a further x months.

Pretty much confirms what a number of people have been saying, there's 2 operators now interested in the land so getting the best deal is obviously in the interest of Opus, on top of that they are making sure Wheldon Road is the area that will be getting a Super Market ahead of the unfeasible Aire Street development. Or, you could look at it this way if you were so inclined: viewtopic.php?f=33&t=514568 It's a statement you can take any way you want, the majority, however will probably take this as a positive note as it shows Opus are doing whatever they can and are getting the best deal for their company.

Pretty much confirms what a number of people have been saying, there's 2 operators now interested in the land so getting the best deal is obviously in the interest of Opus, on top of that they are making sure Wheldon Road is the area that will be getting a Super Market ahead of the unfeasible Aire Street development. Or, you could look at it this way if you were so inclined: viewtopic.php?f=33&t=514568 It's a statement you can take any way you want, the majority, however will probably take this as a positive note as it shows Opus are doing whatever they can and are getting the best deal for their company.

The info in the article updates us; it's nothing new and certainly nothing contained in there we didn't know.



It does confirm what is happening to an extent and is slightly positive, however, I do still consider it a bit worthless to be honest.

I don't have any knowledge of laws, supermarkets or even greenbelt land. I don't know where Aire Street is or what Opus even do. I'm not atcually that interested in stadiums as I really only go to matches to watch the rugby. However, the realist in me cannot see two new stadiums being built so close together in the current climate, especially within the Wakefield district. You're latest statement would suggest Glasshoughton won't be ready during this franchise period, and if we don't get planning then neither will ours. My prediction is we'll either share the first ground to get built, or we'll start the next franchise period in our current grounds, but in a lower league.

Last time I saw 2013 was within this licence period 2012-2014.

Same old rubbish spouted by RW and cronies. There is always some statement around this time of year regarding the proposed new stadium, and surprise surprise we won't be in it for the start of the 2013 season now. Whenever we want questions answering, there is always a delicate situation or another excuse which means that they can't be answered.



I am not normally negative with regards posting on this forum but how long has a new stadium been mooted now. Although things have progressed somewhat this year, I really can't see it being built within the next three years and that could spell trouble for us. Let's hope I am proved wrong!

Nowhere in that statement does it state you'll be playing there in 2013.

Nowhere does it say we won't. That's an assumption you've made.



If you do actually read it, it says it won't be ready for the first game of the 2013 season, which does indicate it will be ready for mid-2013 or the 2014 season.

I know what it says, and all it indicates is that you won't start 2013 there. There is no mention of when it be ready, if it ever will. After all the confident statements Richard Wright has made over the last few years, I'd be concerned that this latest ones seems to be dragging the process on even further. It is only my opinion, but I think one new stadium is optimistic for our district, and that two so close together is too unrealistic. My gut feeling is neither will happen within the timescales required for the next round of franchises.

If you read it again, you'll also note that it's Opus who have wrote it regarding the timescale, not RW.

Fully im a Cas fan im not into my grounds bigger than yours, my dads better than yours, if Wakey get their ground they will, all the why for's why nots concerning who owns what are irrelevant, This statement is old hat offers nothing new that people don't know about. oh except the fact that theirs another delay. sorry mate but until im sat in the seat in the stand at GH then i will believe its happened, im more than happy to stay at WR and follow CAS whichever league they are in

It appears to me that the possibility of delays now could be a problem for cas, other sites, other supermarkets, objectors etc etc.

What it doesn't prove though is that it won't still happen, and anyone who says another supermarket or two cant be developed at once or in close proximity clearly doesn't understand the power of the supermarkets.

Look at Wakefield, Tesco's sniff around mention they want the old Sainsburys site, Sainsburys kick off and Wakefield ends up with a new Tesco and ANOTHER Sainsburys all within a mile of the city centre, on the same road, and i would argue that the people of Wakefield don't need either.