Newcastle United’s historical links to its St James’ Park stadium are playing a key role in determining whether the club will remain there. After conducting a recent feasibility study, the club will reportedly proceed with redeveloping their current home rather than move to a new site.

As highlighted by Football Today, there are still some obstacles to overcome before Newcastle embark on what would be an ambitious multi-million-pound project.

Newcastle owners keen to secure leasehold extension

Plans to increase the capacity to more than 60,000 and modernise the facilities at St James’ Park are undoubtedly welcome news to Newcastle fans. However, the club’s Saudi Arabian owners will engage in talks with Newcastle City Council to discuss the length of the leasehold before funding the project.

The current lease has 70 years to run, but the owners want this extension if they are to forge ahead with the ambitious stadium redevelopment project. There are unlikely to be any objections to the lease being extended, with the club viewed as an integral part of the landscape in the city of Newcastle.

Alternative sites are still under consideration

Despite the club’s long-standing affinity with St James’ Park, the club’s owners have not ruled out the possibility of relocating to an alternative site. A potential site on the banks of the River Tyne has been sold for housing, but a complete rebuild on Leazes Park next to the existing stadium remains an option.

However, planning permission could be difficult to obtain, which makes the prospect of redeveloping St James’ Park the most likely option. A feasibility study conducted by the club concluded that this was the most favourable option, particularly with St James’ Park scheduled to stage European Championship games in 2028.

© Mark Walker

Gallowgate Stand expansion is key to the project

Expanding the Gallowgate Stand is a core element of the ambitious proposals to redevelop the existing St James’ Park stadium. The design involves removing the Gallowgate Stand roof and starting the expansion across the road to allow traffic to continue passing through while the redevelopment is ongoing.

The East Stand, nearby listed buildings and the Leazes conservation area would crucially remain undisturbed by this expansion. Revamping the Gallowgate would raise the roof to the same level as the Leazes and Milburn stands, creating a more imposing home venue for the club.

Saudis are mindful of Newcastle’s history

Despite having no emotional attachment to St James’ Park, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has been mindful of Newcastle’s history since taking over the club. Most fans want to stay at the stadium and the costs involved would be no issue for the richest sovereign wealth fund in the world. Increasing the capacity and creating a stadium which makes money away from football are crucial to Newcastle’s hopes of success at home and abroad. The club’s turnover currently lags way behind the big hitters in the Premier League, and they need to close the gap to ease concerns over Profit and Sustainability Rules.

Purely from a planning perspective, redeveloping St James’ Park is challenging due to the close proximity of listed buildings and other conservation elements. However, the architects who built Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium believe that it is feasible to create something which would be nuanced and with genuine authenticity. While a minority of fans have suggested a move away from St James’ Park would be acceptable, remaining at their spiritual home is clearly the most favourable option.

© Mark Walker