(Aaron Bower) AB: What’s the latest on the legal case involving Bradford?
NW: There’s not a lot to be said. It’s private at the moment and I know that the RFL’s legal advisors are presenting the strongest possible case. That’s it.

AB: There’s an employment tribunal planned for January. Will it go that far from your perspective?
NW: Experience has taught me never to second-guess anything when litigation is involved.

AB: What about Odsal? Is there a clear idea what you want to do in terms of redeveloping it or selling the lease?
NW: Not necessarily. The purchase of the ground was, first and foremost, to protect an asset for the sport. It’s almost a national asset. At the time, the club that played there was consistently vulnerable so we want to see some stability there and a track record of that before we have a discussion. The long-term play for the RFL is not about holding the lease forever – but at the same time, we have to make sure the club is in a stable position. I don’t know when that position will change, but at the moment it gives the sport some security.

AB: So you need to see several years of stability at Bradford before anything can happen?
NW: That’s what the Board’s position will be. There needs to be some runs on the board and hopefully the club will have a more peaceful year in 2018, whatever its destiny is.



AB: There’s talk of Odsal being in the mix for this £10 million grant from the Government for a new national facility. Is that true?
NW: It’s probably important to clear up that it’s for a facility strategy, not necessarily one stadium or one building. The legacy people around the World Cup are negotiating with local authorities now, and I think there’ll be a number of beneficiaries from that.

AB: So do you have local Councils knocking your door down?
NW: Well, we’ve got to make it more than just simply building something somewhere. We spoke to a combined authority in the north of the country recently, and the idea we hammered home to them is that this is about creating a legacy in places, not just an event or a venue.

I work in construction and i hear there has been talks with developers and construction companies about buying Odsal.

That assumes the council wish to sell, of course, though it must be said that the current squeeze on finances emanating from government make it more likely that Bfd Met would consider selling. I'd suspect that the only way to do so, given the leasing arrangements, would be a tri-partite deal involving all the stakeholders, Council, RFL and club. It may be that Big Nige's comments above were intended just for public consumption (ie us) as I can't imagine he'd be unaware of any ongoing plans, but if we take his words at face value it would seem that any plans are doomed to failure. Unless they really are prepared to accept that a re-development would be the best outcome for all.

I think experience has taught me that Nigel's views on legal matters apply just as much to the RFL.

Wow, he's still peddling this bullsh*t line?

He's repeated it that many times that he now actually believes it...

I think the council would be pretty keen to sell given the lack of public funds and the political commitments to replace two local swimming pools/leisure centres.

Some of those on here know my line of work is within the leisure industry and previous experience would suggest that local partnerships with mutually beneficial outcomes should be a fairly simple process, but tend to take longer to iron out all the finer details.

If I was leading the Bradford Leisure Services team (which I am not) I'd be making a major push to bring the Council leaders, RFL, Bulls, an other local sporting clubs (BPA would be the one i'd go for) and potential interested land developers to the table in an effort to see what synergies could be established.

With the land the council owns, I'd probably suggest the following:

- Council to sell site currently occupied by Richard Dunns to a property developer with permission to build affordable housing (something that is within the local planning strategy document).

- Council sell site currently known as Odsal Stadium for landfill.

- Council uses funds generated through the two property sales to construct community stadium on land between Odsal Satdium and M606 industrial site/South Bradford GC, which would be home to two local sports teams, an NGB (The RFL) and brand new leisure complex (to replace Richard Dunns) fit for purpose for the local community.

- Project could also include new medical facilities which would meet local and national health agenda commitments.

- RFL in return of the leasehold would receive a guaranteed HQ and access to community stadium for an agreed set period.

- Landfill site can be re-used for development once full, making it a valuable commodity.

- Project would provide new sports and leisure facilities without the need to build on the current Sedbergh club and sports pitches.

This isn't anything new, its been done before and has been very successfully. Some take years whilst others get things done quickly. Bradford Council's current CEO has previous experience of something similar in York with the new community stadium being built there, however changes to the council structure and disagreements between past owners of the Knights and York City has resulted in a long delayed project. I don't think Kirsten would have the same issues in Bradford as it would benefit the area massively.

It would also be the only real way IMO of being able to fund the whole process. But then again, maybe I'm just dreaming it could go so smoothly!!!

They'd never get a permit from the Environment Agency to have a landfill site in that location. It's far too built up around the area.

You are assuming by landfill I mean household waste. However, even if this was to be the case the site value has huge potential and would be an interesting proposition to most land developers.

Or we could just put Wood in it, and it'd be full

That sounds like a great 'plan', one which has been mooted in several forms over the past 30 years at least. Let's hope it takes off. The chances of anyone spending millions on 'The Wembley of the North' are about high as Mrs Thatcher becoming Chairwoman of the Bulls, sadly....(the former not the latter) it is unlikely to happen. Thankfully the latter never will.
However, the Council should bite the bullet, get the Government on board, add infrastructure that fits with HS2/M62 in that strip of land down the 606 and build a facility for the 21st Century.

Sadly, I suspect we will have this same conversation in 2028.

That is true, I did make that assumption, but the point still stands for inert landfills.

Maybe they could use it to fill with all the plastic recycling waste that can no longer go to China?