@scottdavison5584

1 month ago

This is a brilliant video. However unfortunately all three options are extremely difficult to almost impossible depending on various circumstances. Option A: Extending the Gallowgate is tricky as it'd extend over a road which is currently used by Emergency Services to and from the RVI hospital and there is a Metro line/station underneath. It's probably the most feasible option (ovbiously extremely complex and expensive) although wouldn't be possible for at least three years due to the STACK Fanzone due to open on Strawberry Place in June. Option B: Moving the pitch and extending the East Stand is the most unlikely scenario and difficult with regards to the stadium. There are Grade II listed Georgian buildings (Leazes Terraces) of which extending the East Stand would obstruct their right to light and various other problems and the buildings themselves cannot be bought and demolished either. There have been suggestions to keep the Farcade but move the buildings a little but that would be uneconomical. Option C: Rebuilding on Leazes Park is also very difficult. Leazes Park is protected land so that immediately complicates things. Our former chairman Freddie Shepherd had a similar proposal in the 90s to rebuild the stadium in Leazes Park but came under fierce resistance from conservation groups and others. This in theory wouldn't be as big of an obstacle to overcome today as funding for it's upkeep has been severely reduced so there's a potential they'd accept a trade off of some land for a large investment and the chairwoman of 'Friends of Leazes Park' is a NUFC ST holder and on the fan advisory board. However this would still be a significant hurdle to overcome. Another issue is that there are many fans who are completely opposed to a new stadium as they have a fond connection to SJP and many see modern stadiums as soulless bowls stripping away a clubs history so it'd require significant persuasion of the fanbase. Nobody connected with Newcastle will have any idea of which direction the club will go with until a Stadium Feasibility study is completed with initial reports due to be received this month based on previous information.

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