Newcastle face £1bn bill to redevelop St James’ Park

Exclusive: Expansion plans may increase the stadium capacity to more than 60,000

Newcastle United will be left with a bill of around £1 billion if they push ahead with a proposal to expand and rebuild St James’ Park.
Although the club continue to insist they have not made a final decision on whether to improve their existing stadium, or move to a new purpose-built site elsewhere in the city, Telegraph Sport understands detailed architectural plans for the expansion of St James’ Park have been drawn up and studied.
Those plans have focused on the expansion and redevelopment of both the East Stand and the Gallowgate End, with the capacity of the stadium rising to more than 60,000 if the work goes ahead.
There is also believed to be scope to modernise both the Milburn Stand and the Leazes End, which were built more than 20 years ago. The estimated cost is between £800 million and £1 billion, depending on the final details of the project.
As revealed earlier this year, Newcastle will need to extend the leasehold on St James’ Park, which expires in 70 years, if they stay put.
Newcastle have repeatedly insisted any decision will be discussed with the club’s fan advisory board before it is announced and rejected the idea that a decision has already been made in private. A club spokesman said: “It would be wrong to say a decision has been made. All options remain on the table.”
The alternative option is to build a new stadium, with the land currently occupied by Leazes Park earmarked.
The park is adjacent to St James’ Park and would mean the club could remain in the city centre. Other sites, though, could come into play if Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment fund decides it wants an entirely new, purpose-built stadium as part of their long-term vision for the club. As things stand, PIF, the club’s majority shareholder, has not signed off on either project and is still considering all the options available.
The cost of a new stadium is thought to be far more expensive, though, with an estimated bill of between £2 billion-£3 billion. The project would almost certainly face a series of legal challenges from those who wish to protect the green space in the heart of the city, which is likely to delay the start of construction even further.
With the three-year anniversary approaching of the PI-led takeover, supporters have become frustrated with the slow progress on the stadium project.
Manchester United’s stadium plans are under way with Sir Jim Ratcliffe wanting to establish a “Wembley of the North”. Leeds United have also confirmed they intend to rebuild Elland Road, dramatically increasing its capacity beyond that of St James’ Park in its current form.
Sources have stressed to Telegraph Sport that the decision on Newcastle’s stadium plan has been delayed because they want to ensure they make the right decision and that the project chosen will be completed in a suitable period of time.
Newcastle is one of the host cities for Euro 2028 and work on the St James’ Park rebuild would have to start some time next year for it to stage tournament matches. In theory, Newcastle could decide to remove themselves as a host club if it gets in the way of their plans.
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