Club handed huge IMG boost as stadium planning permission secured

Playing against the likes of Leeds Rhinos, Wigan Warriors, Warrington Wolves and of course Super League and World Champions St Helens is the pinnacle of British rugby league.

Promotion is the route but soon the means for promotion will not just be determined by on field measures but also off field including Stadiums.

This is why Featherstone Rovers have been given a huge boost with Wakefield Council validating plans for their stadium redevelopment:

“The Millenium Stadium, Post Office Road, Featherstone, WF7 5EN: Discharge of conditions (bat box detail, highway verge/footway crossing detail, construction method statement and remediation strategy.)”

This comes as Martin Vikcers recently spoke about the stadium requirements as they chase Super League status under IMG:

“The first rugby-related thing is only last week we’ve had something from the RFL that confirms that if we sort the floodlights out then there’s nothing stopping us going to Super League.

“So, we have that kind of agreement all from the governing body. So, I can put all the controversy theories to bed that’s something.

“We’ve been supported really well by Wakefield Council with the Rugby League Resilience Fund and so two things that are in the offing between now and December will be having the stadium fully kind of looked after by solar, which in these difficult times is going to be a massive help at the back end of the year, floodlights.

“Just something our fans need to know on floodlights is actually, before you can put any floodlights in, you need to increase the power into the stadium. So that’s a job we have to do before all that, and again, work will immediately start in the off-season to do that. So that’s all things to kind of set ourself in.

“We’ve already got the best stadium in the district so this will make it out and I won’t just be one stand, it’ll be the whole of the stadium. In terms of wider developments, again facilitated by the Resilience Fund, we’ve been fortunate to acquire the Millennium Building which is the building just near the crossings opposite the railway and the land that goes right from the crossings right to the stadium.

“We’re currently working with interested parties at the moment, developers who will look to try and bring in a new improved access into the stadium. There’s 21 acres of land here George that actually we already put to really good use but this will kind of make that even better.

“One of those particular developers we’re talking to is talking about having a new training centre for the team, 4G pitch, a new state-of-the-art facility as part of that. You’re probably talking about 12-18 months time and you know Mark was here right at the outset.

“So, exciting times for the club because whatever the scoring system, whether it’s IMG or not, what I would say is a facility that’s already top end, we’ll be able to make it even better with improved access, which helps with community use and everything else that goes with it.”