Newcastle United are looking to build a new stadium on Leazes Park.placeholder image
Newcastle United are looking to build a new stadium on Leazes Park. | Getty/Bondibot
Newcastle United supporters are still eagerly awaiting an official update on the future of St James’ Park.
Newcastle United released a statement last year that an announcement regarding the future of St James’ Park would be made in ‘early 2025’ after conducting a full feasibility study and engaging with Newcastle City Council
Now, at the end of June, an official update is yet to be released. The Gazette understands Newcastle’s preference has moved away from expanding St James’ Park, with focus now on a new state-of-the-art arena built just north of the current stadium site.
The Daily Telegraph recently claimed an official stadium update is expected very soon, with the club now looking at a new stadium with an attendance of 70,000 instead of the originally suggested 60,000-65,000.
Newcastle United stadium plans face backlash as City Council provide update
Although no official stadium plans have been announced, the suggestion of a new stadium being built on Leazes Park has faced significant backlash, with over 28,000 people signing a petition to ‘save’ Newcastle’s oldest public park.
The petition was recently presented to Newcastle City Council. The Council’s Cabinet Member for Economy, Jobs and Skills, Cllr Dan Greenhough, could not provide a comment on Newcastle’s stadium plans as no planning application had been submitted.
However, Newcastle have recently extended the planning permission agreement that will see the St James’ STACK fan-zone remain at Strawberry Place until 2031. The fan-zone sits in the shadow of St James’ Park behind the Gallowgate End and offers potential space to expand St James’ Park as it currently stands.
The long-term extension of the planning permission agreement is another hint of the club’s intention to build a new stadium on a nearby site. A stadium further north on Hunters Moor has also been discussed but the preferred location is understood to be on part of the current Leazes Park site, which would retain the stadium’s iconic City Centre location and ‘Cathedral on the Hill’ nickname.
Newcastle City Council own Leazes Park and the current St James’ Park site, with the football club paying ground rent as part of a lease agreement. The current 99-year lease was agreed around the time Newcastle’s previous expansion of St James’ Park started to take place in the summer of 1998 and expires in 2097.
In addition to a stadium, Newcastle are also looking to build a new training ground. The club have invested significantly into the current Darsley Park site but are planning to move to a new purpose-built training ground elsewhere in the city.
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Newcastle United planning £200m training ground investment
Newcastle’s owners have approved a £200million budget for a new training ground to be built on Tyneside with an official announcement set to be made by the club in due course.
Locations around the Reuben Brothers-owned Newcastle Racecourse as well as toward Newcastle Airport have been suggested.
Newcastle’s training complex plans include a small purpose-built stadium on-site and world-class facilities.
“We need world-class facilities if the club's ambitions are to be realised and, of course, that's interlinked to the stadium,” Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe said. “Our stadium is fantastic now and I love playing there but if we are to improve, whether that means staying or leaving, whatever the outcome, trying to bring world-class facilities here will be a game-changer for us.”
Much like the stadium, updates regarding a new training ground have been slow but it remains a key part of the ownership group’s medium to long-term strategy.
PIF drop ‘world-class’ investment hint as NUFC stadium decision awaited
As Newcastle supporters anticipate an update, the club’s majority owners, the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, have recently posted a message declaring ‘investment in world-class facilities’ both in Saudi Arabia and across the world.
The message follows on from the Reuben Brothers’ St James’ Park message posted on Instagram earlier this month.
The Reuben Brothers' official Instagram account recently posted images of St James’ Park along with the caption: “Reuben Brothers is proud to stand alongside this historic institution as it writes its next chapter, building on legacy, driving ambition, and uniting generations of supporters.
“Together, we honour the past and shape the future of this beautiful game called football.”
It was the first time the account, which is associated with Simon and David Reuben rather than Newcastle co-owner Jamie Reuben, had posted about the club.
And Newcastle supporters, so desperate for an update on the stadium, speculated that the seemingly out of the blue post could be a hint of an upcoming stadium announcement.
Over to you, Newcastle United.
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