Newcastle United released a statement last year that an announcment over the future of St James’ Park would be made in ‘early 2025’ after conducting a full feasibility study and engaging with Newcastle City Council.
But now in mid-June an official update is still yet to be made. 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.
Although the club’s stadium plans are yet to be officially announced, the suggestion that a new stadium would be built on Leazes Park has already been met by a significant backlash. Over 28,000 have signed a petition opposing the rumoured plans for building a new stadium on Newcastle’s oldest public park.
The Daily Telegraph claims an official stadium update is expected in the coming weeks with Newcastle now looking at a new attendance of 70,000 opposed to the originally suggested 60,000-65,000.
A 70,000-seater stadium would make Newcastle’s new ground up there with the biggest in the Premier League once again, second only to Manchester United’s Old Trafford. Newcastle had the second-largest club football stadium in the country behind Manchester United the last time St James’ Park was expanded around the turn of the century.
25 years on and the stadium is the eighth largest in the Premier League behind the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City, West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton - all of whom have had new stadiums built. Liverpool’s Anfield stadium has also been expanded to exceed St James’ Park’s capacity in recent seasons.
But Newcastle face significant challenges when it comes to expanding St James’ Park due to its city centre location and proximity to the listed buildings on Leazes Terrace.
No official stadium designs have been made public at the time of writing but stadium concept designer and 3D animator Damián Bosio has shared his ideas on what a proposed expansion of St James’ Park or new stadium could look like via his YouTube channel, Bondibot. The designs were made public last year but provide an idea of what an expanded St James’ Park or new ‘Leazes Stadium’ could look like.
1. Expanding the Gallowgate Stand
This would involve building over the road and into Strawberry Place. | Bondibot
2. Removing the roof
The concept design involves removing the Gallowgate Stand roof and starting the expansion across the road to allow traffic to continue passing through. | Bondibot
3. One stand expansion
The East Stand, listed buildings and Leazes Conservation area would remain undisturbed by this expansion. | Bondibot
4. A significant expansion
The Gallowgate expansion concept would raise the stand to the same level as the Milburn and Leazes stands. | Bondibot