Newcastle chiefs are exploring a SECOND city centre site for a new stadium, Confidential can reveal.
Feasibility work continues around Leazes Park, the club’s preferred choice, but senior staff are now considering and will visit an alternative. An inhabitation of bats is one of the challenges they face at Leazes Park.
Confidential can reveal that a senior PIF delegation are scheduled to meet with the club’s executive team, led by CEO David Hopkinson, at Matfen Hall later this month. Stadium plans will be at the top of the agenda during the key summit and progress is expected over whether a new home or a renovation of St James’ Park is the ownership’s preferred direction of travel.
One major development in recent weeks is the emergence of an alternative plot to Leazes Park, should the Saudis sanction a new build. Sources have stressed that this site would still be in the city centre.
Leazes Park, just north of St James’, has long been identified as the ideal setting for a new super-stadium. One issue encountered is the presence of bats, although club chiefs are confident of navigating this and several other factors involving plant and animal life.
A specialist firm have been consulted for surveys on how to relocate the bats, while legal requirements are being considered. It is a criminal offence to intentionally disturb or kill bats.
Leazes Park is Newcastle’s preferred site for a new stadium, but the club are exploring a second site
Chief executive David Hopkinson will meet a senior PIF delegation at Matfen Hall this month for a summit on the club’s future
Meanwhile, Hopkinson and chief operating officer, Brad Miller, are working around the clock to present all viable options to the ownership this month.
Hopkinson told Confidential: ‘My job is to develop true optionality. That is why this process takes so long. It’s very easy to say, “Oh, just build it there”. But what needs to happen for that to be possible? It’s labour intensive and very expensive. There are legal, government, heritage, environment and residential considerations. You can’t build somewhere just because you want to.’
Alternative sites within the city area could include Hunters Moor, north of Leazes Park, or the nearby Nuns Moor Park. North East mayor Kim McGuinness is also said to be keen for investment and regeneration in the Arthur’s Hill area, which is only a mile from St James’.
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