World-renowned architects Populous are set to design Newcastle United’s new training ground, Confidential can reveal.
The US-based company, with offices in the UK and Australia, were the architects behind the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and have drawn the plans for Roma’s new 65,000-capacity home. They were also the brains behind the impressive Real Madrid Sports City, the training base that houses the senior and youth teams of the Spanish giants.
That is the level of ambition Newcastle’s Saudi-led owners will insist on, with the Madrid facility including a small stadium, all-weather pitches, swimming pools and a media suite.
Interestingly, Populous drew plans for a new training centre for Queens Park Rangers that they showcase on their website – it was never built – and it gives an insight into their work and how parts of the Newcastle design could look.
The collaboration with Newcastle is a major coup for both the club and Populous, with several firms competing for the contract to design a state-of-the-art complex that is intended to be the envy of the Premier League. Tyneside-based architects FaulknerBrowns could also assist in the project.
We understand that two sites made the shortlist – land near Newcastle Racecourse, owned by the Reuben family, and in Woolsington, close to Newcastle Airport. The racecourse is the most likely.
Newcastle have hired Populous to build their state-of-the-art training facility (plans for QPR’s training ground which are still showcased on their website pictured)
Populous also designed Real Madrid’s Valdebebas training base which houses both the senior and youth sides
Newcastle are likely to use a different firm to design their stadium project, whether that ends up as a renovation of St James’ Park or a new build on Leazes Park
The next steps will be drawing up the ambitious plans, confirming the preferred site and contracting builders and engineers to undertake the work. However, sources say completion is still several years away.
For now, Eddie Howe and his squad will remain at their Benton base. Confidential revealed in November that expansion work is due to begin on that site, with extra buildings added to an area currently used as a car park.
Meanwhile, we have been told that Populous’ involvement with the new training ground does not mean they will also be the architects who work on the stadium project, despite their expertise in this area. Sources have indicated it is likely that Newcastle will use two…