Out-Law / Your Daily Need-To-Know

The Secretary of State Eric Pickles has delayed his decision on whether a scheme can go ahead for a new £19 million community stadium and business park near Wakefield.

Pickles was due to issue his decision on Tuesday, but he has delayed its issue for the second time. Plans for the proposed 100 acre site include a new stadium for the use of the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats rugby club and a new business park.

A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government said that the Secretary of State's decision on the proposed plans had been delayed and there is no revised timetable for the decision at the moment, according to local reports.

The planning application was 'called in' for the Secretary of State's own determination and a public inquiry into the development, which covered Green Belt land, was ordered following Wakefield Council's approval of the scheme in October 2010.

It is the second time that the Secretary of State has delayed his decision on the development, which was originally due to be determined by 30 May.

The first delay was related to the need to give parties time to deal with the implications of the new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), published in March. In a letter communicating this delay, the Department for Communities and Local Government said that Pickles would announce his decision on or before 19 June.

Part of the development site was designated as Green Belt land, but last week a Planning Inspector agreed to remove this designation and ruled that it should instead be allocated for commercial use.

This is the second decision that the Secretary of State has delayed in a week. Last week he delayed his decision on a proposed rail freight interchange near St Albans in Hertfordshire. A decision on developer Helioslough's planning appeal was due to be issued by the Secretary of State on or before 13 June.

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