Football fans, worried that the sale of club-owned land will “lock in the capacity” of their Premier League stadium are demanding an urgent meeting with developers.
Newcastle United is in the process of selling the lease of a 1.6-acre plot of land adjacent to its St James’ Park Gallowgate stand. Although the exact price is not known, it’s understood that Rugby-based Morgan Sindall Developments has agreed a multi-million pound deal for the Strawberry Place site.
Originally purchased by the club in 1998 the land was transferred to Newcastle United Holdings Ltd six years later which, in turn, leased it to the city council as a car park. That £82,400-a-year agreement runs out next month with the authority saying it would look favourably on a retail or hotel development.
“Whilst other clubs in the Premier League appear to be looking towards increasing capacity, disposal of the land at Gallowgate would prevent any future development of St James’ Park,” said Newcastle United Supporters Trust (NUST) in a statement.
The organisation claims its attempts earlier this year to discuss the sale with Newcastle United — owned by billionaire Sports Direct owner Mike Ashley — were rebuffed. Now NUST is demanding a meeting with Morgan Sindall “in order to better understand their plans going forward”.
The trust has also consulted planners and lawyers from its own membership who have advised it that the transfer of the lease is essentially an administrative process and any subsequent development of the land will be subject to regular city council planning restrictions and consent.
“The purpose of the meeting is not because we don’t want development in the city centre, developing the city centre is absolutely vital for the region and for the city,” explained NUST board member Michael Martin. “We just want to make sure that any development is planned in such a way that St James’ Park has the room to expand in the future.
“At the moment an increase in capacity isn’t needed because of the state of the club and the state of football in general and the lack of ambition.
“However, things can change very quickly and in five or ten years the club might need to redevelop St James’ Park,” Martin added. “We want to make sure that any plans the developer has are sympathetic to the football club.”
Under local businessman Freddy Shepherd’s reign as chairman of Newcastle United plans were unveiled for a £300m redevelopment of St James’ Park which would have spilled over onto the Strawberry Place plot. That scheme, which included a conference centre, hotels and luxury apartments, was later abandoned.
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