NEWCASTLE UNITED expect to make a decision on whether to redevelop St James’ Park or build a brand new stadium in the early part of next year.

The Magpies’ Saudi Arabian ownership group are committed to increasing the capacity of the club’s home stadium above the 52,300 that can currently be accommodated at St James’.

That could mean redeveloping the existing stadium, which would present significant architectural difficulties, or it could mean building a brand new home ground somewhere else in Newcastle.

Both options are being considered and assessed as part of an ongoing feasibility study, with club officials having provided an update of the fact-finding process to members of the Fan Advisory Board.

However, further investigations are needed to determine which route offers the best potential outcomes in terms of affordability and sustainability, and a final decision is not now expected until 2025.

Newcastle’s chief operating officer, Brad Miller, said: “This is an exciting but extremely complex project, and I'd like to thank supporters for their patience as we conduct this key phase of the feasibility process. We aren't quite at a decision-making stage yet, but we are targeting the early part of 2025 to complete the next essential tasks.

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“We know what a transformed St. James’ Park would give us and we now have a significant amount of data and feedback on our stadium footprint and surrounding area, so we are several steps forward. But it is also clear that this option has several risks associated with it, so we need to fully analyse those risks against the opportunities to reach truly informed and intelligent outcomes.

“We are challenging our appointed design team, and ourselves, to make sure our eventual chosen route delivers a fantastic fan experience – one that represents the fans, city, region and club, and aligns with the long-term ambitions of our ownership group. But it must provide an investable return, and not least deliver strong revenue growth to increase our PSR headroom, which, as everyone knows, means we can invest more in football.

“Part of the process is also to understand alternative options so that we see the bigger picture and, again, find the right balance between risk and opportunity. This is a once-in-a-generation investment, so we don’t want to look back in years to come, as a club or as a city, and regret an opportunity missed.

“Our objective is to select a scheme that is deliverable, affordable, and sustainable, so we are investing this time to make sure we are only going to spend money on the project where it will make the biggest difference - to fan experience, revenue, competitiveness, investment in football and operational efficiency. All this requires a robust process that leaves no stone unturned.”