Newcastle plans to increase St James's Park capacity to 65,000

Newcastle want to raise the level of the Gallowgate (front) and East Stand (right) to the level of the Lisa and Jackie Milburn Stands Photo: DeFodi Images via Getty Images/Ryan Crockett

Newcastle United have begun working on plans to expand the capacity of St James' Park and have already begun a feasibility study for the development of the Gallowgate End and East Stand.

Telegraph Sport can reveal that the club is currently deciding how much increase would be possible if both stands were extended, but estimates that the final capacity could rise to around 65,000.

Newcastle has the seventh largest stadium. in the Premier League with 52,000, and have fallen behind the likes of West Ham, Manchester City and Tottenham in recent years. If capacity can be increased to 65,000 (although this is not certain at this stage), this would give them second place behind Manchester United's Old Trafford.

The work is at an early stage and the club is waiting to hear from specialist architects about what construction work will be possible and how much it will cost. Nothing will be decided until these reports are completed.

Several sources have said that all options are being considered, but it is more desirable to make the East Stand and Gallowgate End the same size as Liss. End and Milburn Stand, which will give the stadium a more bowl-shaped appearance.

The proposed building work is complicated by the fact that the East Stand is listed as a building directly behind it, and the likelihood of demolitionLeazes Terrace or any of the Georgian row houses people live in are small.< /p> An extra level could be added to Gallowgate. Photo: Getty Images/Mark Atkins

It is understood that work is more likely to start again in the East Stand, although no timeframe has been given for when this might begin.

All options will be explored before the board decides which proposal is best, but there is a strong commitment to increase capacity as demand for match tickets far outstrips supply.

One idea being considered is to increase capacity. height of the East Stand, using glass to ensure residents retain the right to natural light, a key component of planning rules.

Newcastle bought the land behind the Gallowgate End last year, so they potentially have space to add another tier to this end of the stadium.

However, construction of a new fan zone will begin on this site behind the stadium. in the next few weeks and will open in the spring. The fan zone will be in place for a minimum of three years, so the focus is on what can be done to increase capacity in the East Stand in the short term.

Atmosphere inside St James's Park was at its best during the League win champions' 4-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night, but the board knows a bigger stadium will be crucial moving forward.

Asked if he would like to see construction begin on increasing capacity, manager Eddie Howe said: “I’d like to see it expand. If it's possible, I'm sure the club will do it at some point.

“That's very much the club's philosophy. If we can move forward and improve the situation for the fans, for everyone, the club will do it. But it’s not easy, it’s not a simple process, but we would like to have more fans in the stadium.”