Mike Ashley HQ gets approval – Points to why ideal site for new Newcastle United stadium will be possible | OneFootball

On Tuesday I had an article (‘Mike Ashley points the way to why ideal site for new Newcastle United stadium will be possible’) published by The Mag.

I was drawing parallels between the former NUFC owner looking to get planning permission on a huge new Frasers Group HQ and the possibility/probability of the Newcastle United owners wanting to build a brand new massive stadium on a new site.

Mike Ashley facing numerous objections on his new Frasers Group HQ, including the fact that the huge development is to be built on green belt land.

Well, that planning permission WAS granted to Ashley last week (see below), despite all the many objections.

This is where I believe we are at with Newcastle United and our own brand new stadium issues, if/when the NUFC owners go down this route.

Man U are talking about a future 100,000 stadium capacity, Arsenal talking about 80,000, West Ham want to go up to 68,000 as their next step.

Both for the fans AND Newcastle United as an ambitious club, on and off the pitch, this brand new state of the art 80,000+ seater stadium on a new site, at Leazes Park and/or Castle Leazes, has to become a reality.

As the BBC reported (see below) on the case made by Mike Ashley and his business empire:

‘The retail group said it had outgrown its current site at Shirebrook, Derbyshire, and proposed a “campus headquarters” on 112.9 hectares (279 acres) near Ansty. The site will include a 100-room hotel, warehouses, research and development facilities, swimming pool and sports pitches. Frasers Group said it would boost jobs in the Rugby borough by 15% and allow it to expand as a business, contributing an extra £69m to the national economy. Members of the borough council’s planning committee were asked to weigh up these economic benefits against the loss of green belt land.’

Down in Warwickshire, those making the planning decisions, accepting that those economic and other benefits, outweighed the objections and concerns. For the greater good of the region etc.

Those arguments for allowing the new huge Mike Ashley/Frasers Group development apply just as much, actually far far more, when it comes to Newcastle United and this new possible huge 80k (or whatever capacity) stadium that could be sited on land at Leazes Park/Castle Leazes.

It is a one-off chance to take Newcastle United, Newcastle City Council and Newcastle City Centre to a whole new level.

If the Newcastle United owners, Newcastle City Council, Newcastle Freemen, Newcastle United fanbase, the city/region as a whole are all behind this, the game-changer brand new stadium at Leazes Park and/or Castle Leazes can and will become a reality.

There will be some who object, of course there will be, it happens with every single major development.

However, if so many key partners are United behind the brand new stadium, I believe it will definitely happen.

The social and economic benefits for the football club, the fans, the council, the local population, will be overwhelming.

A serious number of extra jobs created, both in building the new stadium and then once it is up and running, all of the extra visitors and cash coming into the city/region, plus of course the added impetus and finance for Newcastle United to be successful AND tens of thousands more fans each match to be able to be inside the new stadium to see it.

The recently elected Government have already stated that they are prepared to back major developments wherever possible, that drive growth, jobs and money flowing into the economy. I find it difficult/impossible to believe that if all major local partners (club, council, fans, freemen, overwhelming majority of Tyneside residents) are in agreement behind the new stadium, that the Government would favour a relative handful of protestors wanting to prevent this going ahead.

As Newcastle United fans, we want our football club AND local economy to be thriving, a small handful of people won’t be allowed to prevent this project going ahead, if this is indeed the direction the Newcastle United owners go in.

BBC News report – 18 December 2024:

Plans have been approved for a new headquarters for Frasers Group on green belt land in Warwickshire.

The retail group said it had outgrown its current site at Shirebrook, Derbyshire, and proposed a “campus headquarters” on 112.9 hectares (279 acres) near Ansty.

The site will include a 100-room hotel, warehouses, research and development facilities, swimming pool and sports pitches.

Frasers Group said it would boost jobs in the Rugby borough by 15% and allow it to expand as a business, contributing an extra £69m to the national economy.

Members of the borough council’s planning committee were asked to weigh up these economic benefits against the loss of green belt land.

Planning officers also noted the development would mean a loss of agricultural land and hit trade for local businesses.

But the meeting also heard the site could boost the local economy by 10%, create learning and leisure facilities – which could be enjoyed by the local community – and open up access to wildlife in the area.

A report which went before the committee concluded this created “very special circumstances” which justified the loss of the green belt land.

The council received about 200 objections to the scheme, including from eight parish councils.

Gail Ash, from the Save Ansty Green Belt campaign group, urged councillors to look at alternatives sites not in the green belt.

“It’s not just for the benefit for us lucky enough to live in the village, it’s for everyone and for future generations,” she said.

Warwickshire councillor Adrian Warwick also spoke out against the plans and said: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a report with so many statutory objectors.”

He called for the decision to be deferred and said he believed “policies, the green belt and these people in these villages matter more than money”.

But Rupert Visick, speaking for Frasers Group, said the location chosen was the “optimal site” and would allow the business to expand and support another 750 stores, generating an extra 11,000 jobs.

He also said Frasers Group was “incredibly proud” of the design of the site.

Councillor Michael Moran spoke in favour of the development and said: “It’s clear to me the development does have significant benefits.”

Fellow Labour member Tony Freeman also supported the application and said the council had to show ambition and grasp the opportunity.

He said: “This sort of stuff doesn’t come along every couple of years, it comes along once in a generation, so it needs to be very carefully considered.”

Conservative councillor Adam Daly opposed the application though and said he was “not completely sold on the economic benefit”.

“The benefits of scheme, whilst they are extensive, cannot outweigh the immeasurable harm to the green belt,” he concluded.