Newcastle United have announced plans to extend Darsley Park but are still planning to build a new training ground.
The Public Investment Fund ownership group has already invested into the facilities at the site in Benton since they took charge from the neglectful owner Mike Ashley.
Money is still being kept aside for significant investment that would depend on finding a new location, but for now the current site will receive further upgrades should the planning permission be successful.
Details of training ground extension
If approved, Newcastle’s plans to extend the current training ground will be completed in summer 2026 but work to identify a site for a future training facility remains underway.
Improvements have already been made to the site at Benton during the tenure of PIF. A hydrotherapy and plunge pool, along with several upgrades to the general facilities, have totalled around £10million of investment.
A club statement explained the nature of the latest proposals:
“Planning permission has been submitted for 1,350 square metres of necessary new-build accommodation, focusing on new office and meeting space and additional support facilities.
“In turn, the existing building will be reconfigured to provide further treatment spaces and staff support areas, alongside improved front of house facilities and an enlarged players’ lounge.
“The site is currently occupied by 140 personnel. Staff and visitor numbers to the site will remain unchanged following the extension.
“The proposal improves space planning, and provides enhanced facilities by enabling the removal of low quality temporary buildings.
“The site area includes revised car parking to the north and west perimeter of the extension, with pedestrian access into the office, media and storage spaces.
“Accessible parking spaces have been provided along the north of the extension in close proximity to the main entrance.
“Photovoltaics (PV) have been combined on the roof of the new extension and areas of existing roof to offset electrical loads on the site.
“If approved, work is expected to be completed in summer 2026.”
£200m budget for new training ground
Newcastle have set a whopping budget of £200million for a state-of-the-art new training ground which is seen as essential to push the Toon into the very elite of football.
The nine figure amount would be double of any other in the Premier League. Leicester City’s £100m complex completed in 2020 is currently the biggest, with inspiration for the project believed to have been taken from Adidas HQ in Germany.
It proves PIF’s long-term commitment to the Newcastle project, as do the talks surrounding a new stadium, despite frustrations around the restrictive nature of the Premier League rules.
