A new super stadium of development of St James’ Park could play a key role in bringing Olympics to region

Leazes Park with St James’ Park in the background

Newcastle United’s proposed new stadium could play a key role in an ambitious bid to stage the Olympic Games in the region after a plan to lobby the Government was outlined by political leaders.

The Magpies remain locked in discussions over whether to expand St James’ Park or build a new super stadium, potentially on Leazes Park. The club insists it has yet to make a final decision amid ongoing dialogue with the city council and financial experts.

Whatever the club decides, it is hoped that any development will create a venue that can host world-class sport and other events, amid reports at the weekend that a group of 12 mayors and council leaders – led North East mayor Kim McGuinness – have written to the Government setting out how the Olympics could be staged around the North in 2036 or 2040.

The Great North – an initiative set up by Ms McGuinness to tap into the global success of the Great North Run – has written to Culture and Sport Secretary Lisa Nandy, asking the Government to say that any future UK Olympic and Paralympic bid should be based in the North. With backing from Great North Run founder Sir Brendan Foster, they say that there should be a fairer redistribution of major events across the country.

Any Northern bid for the Olympics would have the benefit of being able to use many existing facilities to lower the cost of the event. World class cycling and swimming facilities still exist from the 2002 Commonwealth Games and there are top level football stadia in Newcastle, Sunderland, Manchester and Liverpool – with the prospect of both Newcastle United and Man United having new stadiums built in the next decade.

When the Olympics was last in the UK, in 2012, St James’ Park hosted football matches including matches involving Brazil, Spain, Japan and Morocco.

Any new Olympic bid could see St James’ involved, or a new super stadium if Newcastle go down that route. United’s CEO David Hopkinson revealed last week that the club are still looking at their options when it comes to a new ground.

“We haven’t made the final decision on what we’re going to do but we’re working on this every day, deciding whether it’s here or on a new site,” he told talkSPORT. “But we have an opportunity that we’re pursuing and we’re working on it every day.

“A new stadium is something we’re considering, but not really moving that far. We don’t want to be in some farmer’s field out in the middle of nowhere. One thing that makes Newcastle so special is its location.”

That’s a feeling emphasised by Newcastle city council leader Karen Kilgour, who admitted at the weekend that early talks had been held with the football club about their ambitions – and said that any development would be a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’ for the region and would require a masterplan to ensure it works for the city.

The Labour councillor, a season ticket holder at St James’ Park, said: “As with all major developments, we have had early discussions to support the club in their decision-making. We absolutely share their ambition to have a world class stadium at the heart of the city centre, whether that is a new stadium or building on the existing stadium.

“We are the planning authority, we need to carry out due diligence, we need to make sure whatever happens in the city is the absolute best it can possibly be and the best thing for the city. But until there is a planning application in, there is nothing more we can really do.

“We stand ready to support them and help them and I personally would love to see something happen, whatever that may be. The club is a really important feature in the city, a really important asset.

“Where else can you go that has a stadium right in the heart of the city? It is unique and part of our DNA. Absolutely we stand ready to support them, but it is up to the club to submit a planning application.

“When we have discussions with the club it will be about more than a specific planning application, important though that will be, because we have to get it right for the city. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and we have to make sure it is right.

“Absolutely we want a world class stadium that is fit for the future because that is what Newcastle United and the supporters deserve, but it has to be right for the city. There needs to be the correct infrastructure, we would need to masterplan any area if there were to be any significant changes because the impact will be huge and we need to get it right.”