Report: Developers behind the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium want to work on ‘mythical’ St James' Park

The developers behind the impressive Tottenham Hotspur Stadium are itching to get their hands on the St James' Park development project.

The PIF-backed consortium which now owns Newcastle United is currently in the early stages of a feasibility study looking at the possible ways they could increase the capacity at St James' Park and iNews has been talking to one of the companies hoping to win the project.

Fans have made it clear that they'd be extremely reluctant to relocate the stadium which dominates the Newcastle upon Tyne skyline and as such is a unique selling point of the club.

Therefore plans to expand the stadium have kicked into gear but the project faces huge obstacles. The East Stand is flanked by Grade 1-listed buildings and the Gallowgate has a Metro line running below it.

Our former owner tried to scupper any development

Mike Ashley had sold the land at Strawberry Place to developers before he left the club which would have ruined any chance of expanding the Gallowgate End. The new owners have since bought it back, however, and now plan to create a 'STACK' Fan Zone in that area which will no doubt have been planned with a potential stadium expansion in mind.

According to iNews, Populous, the company behind the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, and the new stand at Fulham's Craven Cottage would 'bite your hand off' at the opportunity to work on St James' Park.

Tottenham Hotspur

Populous' Managing Director, Christopher Lee told iNews:

“Newcastle United would be a great job to be involved in. We’d bite your hands off. It’s one of the great mythical stadiums and we’d love to be involved in it.”

Populous has encountered similar issues before

He also went on to recount how Populous has faced similar issues that are hampering progress at St James' Park and that they've overcome the 'impossible' many times.

“The Aviva stadium in Dublin reminds me of the potential St James’ Park redevelopment. They also didn’t want to move, it had 52,000 capacity but it was a predominantly standing stadium. They wanted 52,000 and a predominantly seating stadium on the same site but there were issues to overcome.

“There were heritage buildings north and south which are Grade 1-listed and in Ireland the right to light [for those buildings] is unalienable. Elsewhere you can buy to compensate but not in Ireland."

Peter Barrow

Populous certainly seem to have the experience and thinking of both the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and The Emirates, they definitely know how to make a nice-looking stadium.

Newcastle are still some way off in choosing a company to run the project but they look like the current frontrunner to us.

Such exciting times, on and off the pitch!