Major Newcastle United upgrade gets approved just days before players return

The approval comes just days before Newcastle’s first-team squad are due back for pre-season training on July 1.

Last month, Newcastle submitted plans to North Tyneside Council for single-storey side and rear extensions to the east side of the Darsley Park training complex in Benton, as well as a dining room extension and landscaping works.

The welcome upgrades will help the club bide their time as they look to build a new state-of-the-art on a different site in the future.

The plans include improved dining facilities, hydrotherapy and plunge pools, a new players’ lounge, new medical treatment rooms, presentation and changing room upgrade, as well as new offices.

As a result, planning permission had to be granted in order for the work on the building structure to commence.

While waiting for the green light, Newcastle have been saving time by going ahead with the necessary ground works on the site that do not require any planning permission.

Newcastle’s application stated: “The current training facilities available to NUFC fall significantly below the Premier League, and perhaps even Championship, standards.

"As part of the continued efforts of NUFC to improve the facilities and environment for its players, and staff working on site, in the short term the club is looking to invest in redeveloping the current first team training ground by bringing it in line with other Premier League clubs and standards.”

Now planning permission has been approved, work can commence on the building structure.

The document detailing the decision to approve the work at Newcastle’s training ground read: “North Tyneside Council as Local Planning Authority hereby grants planning permission for single storey side and rear extensions to the east side of the training complex, rear extension of existing dining room to the south west and landscaping works to rear of the training complex at Darsley Park, Whitley Road, Benton, in accordance with the application numbered 22/00749/FUL, deemed valid by the Council on 3 May 2022, and the plans stamped as approved on 28 June 2022.”

The approval is subject to certain conditions such as construction work only taking place from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 2pm on Saturday with no work on Sundays or Bank Holidays.