Wakefield Trinity will remain at Belle Vue until 2018 after reaching agreement with the local council to redevelop their ground in time for the 2020 Betfred Super League season.
Trinity and Wakefield Council agreed an 11th-hour deal in principle on Wednesday morning, ending fears the club would have to move out of the city and ground-share with Dewsbury Rams.
“Chairman Michael Carter has confirmed that Wakefield Trinity will be staying at the Beaumont Legal Stadium for 2018,” the club confirmed on their official Twitter account.
“It is discussed that the club will move away in 2019 for the Beaumont Legal Stadium to be redeveloped for 2020.
“Further information regarding the stadium news will be released shortly.”
Belle Vue, now known as the Beaumont Legal Stadium, no longer meets the minimum standards for Super League and Wakefield have been planning to move to a new ground since 2010.
But a succession of planning rows led to a deal for a new 10,000-seat stadium at Newmarket Lane in Wakefield to collapse earlier this summer.
The delays meant the club failed to meet the Rugby Football League’s latest deadline in July to confirm where they planned to play home games next season.
Planning permission for the new stadium at Newmarket was initially given approval in 2012, with Trinity hoping to become anchor tenants.
But developers Yorkcourt changed the terms of the agreement and the council has been forced to step in with an alternative proposal.
The council has agreed to take out a new lease on the current Belle Vue site and redevelopment work is expected to begin in 12 months’ time.
The news will be a huge relief to Trinity fans, whose club have played rugby league at Belle Vue since 1895.