According to Football Insider, Newcastle United has initiated discussions with the architectural design firm Populous to explore the potential expansion of St James’ Park, which is currently in the early planning stages. The club’s current stadium capacity stands at 52,000, and it has consistently sold out all home games during the 2023/24 season. To meet the growing demand, the Newcastle board aims to increase the stadium’s capacity to over 60,000. However, this expansion project is still in its preliminary phases, and the club is actively seeking a construction company to undertake the project.
Christopher Lee, the managing director of Populous, expressed their interest in collaborating on Newcastle’s stadium project. Populous is renowned for their work on projects like the £1.2 billion construction of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which has a capacity of 62,850, and they have previously worked with Arsenal. They are also currently involved in Manchester City’s £300 million effort to expand the Etihad Stadium. While Newcastle could potentially join their list of clients, it’s worth noting that St James’ Park’s location in the city center poses unique challenges.
Notably, Newcastle’s new owners from Saudi Arabia have already made investments in the stadium’s vicinity, including the acquisition of land at Strawberry Place and the creation of a new fan zone in partnership with their new shirt sponsors, Sela.
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