Businesses get involved in Â£135m Five Towns Park scheme

The development at Glass Houghton will include a new 10,000 capacity stadium for Castleford Tigers, a 50-acre country park, shops and restaurants and a petrol station.

And GMI Construction, which has been contracted to deliver the park by developer Lateral Property Group, wants local companies to provide goods and services for the site.

It, alongside Northern Regeneration CIC, organised a ‘Meet the Buyer’ event in Castleford earlier this week.

Newspaper: Pontefract & Castleford Express.
Story: Central government have to decided not to 'call in' the Five Towns Park planning application, which means the Â£135 million development which includes a new stadium for Castleford Tigers, will go ahead.
L to R) Mark Gratton - Cas' Tigers commercial director, Steve Gill - Cas' Tigers Chief Executive, Dennise Jeffreys, Peter Box, David Shann - Financial director at GMI Construction.
Photo date: 07/07/15
Picture Ref: AB117a0715 — Newspaper: Pontefract & Castleford Express. Story: Central government have to decided not to 'call in' the Five Towns Park planning application, which means the Â£135 million development which includes a new stadium for Castleford Tigers, will go ahead. L to R) Mark Gratton - Cas' Tigers commercial director, Steve Gill - Cas' Tigers Chief Executive, Dennise Jeffreys, Peter Box, David Shann - Financial director at GMI Construction. Photo date: 07/07/15 Picture Ref: AB117a0715

More than 100 people from 60 businesses attended the event to discuss potential contracts.

Coun Denise Jeffery, Wakefield Council’s cabinet member for regeneration and economic growth, said: “The Five Towns Park will already provide a significant impact on the local economy through job creation and investment.

“By helping local businesses to provide goods and services to the development, we are encouraging even greater investment in our district.”

Dave Price, Project Director of GMI Construction, added: “The Meet the Buyer event is the first of many engagement sessions with local businesses to showcase the opportunities at Five Towns Park, and with GMI Construction Group generally.

“Seeing over 60 businesses attending and showing an interest in the scheme was fantastic.

“We will ensure these sessions continue to make sure local companies are used on the project, and local people are given the opportunity to build their future.”

Businesses were also able to find out more about training, employment and apprenticeship opportunities across the district.

Graham Ratcliffe, director of Northern Regeneration CIC, said: “We are extremely proud to be supporting GMI to deliver local employment and skills targets associated to this iconic development.

“We also spoke to companies who have made a commitment to start recruiting apprentices, another positive step forward for the benefit of local people.”

Work will begin on the site later this year and is due to be completed in 2019.