In an effort to boost home game capacity, Newcastle is currently in the advanced phases of a stadium feasibility study.
A “spectacular” answer to one of the main challenges in growing St. James’ Park has been promised to Newcastle United.
In the New Year, the club intends to begin negotiations with the Tyne and Wear Metro’s operators as they go on with a feasibility study for stadium renovation.
Discussions are anticipated to focus on the station beneath the Gallowgate Stand, which adds a great deal of complexity to any rebuilding project, even though the club is keeping quiet.
According to sources, the club’s leadership has not yet decided whether to remain at their existing location or relocate to a new, specially constructed stadium in the city.
The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), which will ultimately make the decision and determine how the stadium project is financed, has recently held discussions. According to The i Paper, PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan recently declared that the fund intends to reduce future foreign investments in order to focus on domestic initiatives, but the club’s majority owners are still steadfastly committed to the stadium project.
PIF’s original business strategy took into account the expenses and challenges associated with expanding St. James’ Park or moving to a new location, and the feasibility study revealed no unanticipated surprises, opening the door for tangible project development in 2025.
Whatever solution is decided upon, experts have warned me that it would probably cost “hundreds of millions” and may even surpass the £800 million Everton spent on constructing a new stadium at the city’s Bramley-Moore Dock.
Newcastle has always preferred to stay in their historic home, but as chief operating officer Brad Miller disclosed last month, the study has found “risks” associated with expanding on the current site. One of these risks is the difficulty of developing the Gallowgate End, which is located near the St James’ Metro station.
The club would have to discover and then finance “complex and innovative” solutions if they were to move forward with the option of adding up to 10,000 seats to the stand, which would necessitate extending it both vertically and horizontally. This would result in a large increase in weight above the station.
However, experts tell me that if the club is willing to go deep, not only is it doable, but something “quite spectacular” could be erected across the surrounding Strawberry Place.
According to Jamie Standing, a ground engineering professor at Imperial College in London and an authority on the subject, technological advancements could lead to a resolution to the Gallowgate conundrum.
It relies on several aspects, he added. “It’s complicated and would require investigation because the station isn’t a structure built to carry heavy loads, but I’m sure it’s possible.”
But according to experts, if the club is prepared to dig deep, it is not only feasible but also possible to build something “quite spectacular” across Strawberry Place.
Jamie Standing, a professor of ground engineering at Imperial College in London and an expert on the topic, believes that technology developments may help solve the Gallowgate puzzle.
“It depends on a number of factors,” he continued. “It’s complicated and would require investigation because the station isn’t a structure built to carry heavy loads, but I’m sure it’s possible.”
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