Newcastle United have been granted planning permission to upgrade the club's training ground.
Newcastle submitted proposals to North Tyneside Council to revamp the club's Benton base after acknowledging the standards of the facility 'fall significantly below the Premier League and perhaps even Championship standards'. ChronicleLive understands that these plans have now been given the green light by planning officers under delegated powers in a private meeting and a decision notice has been issued today.
Bulldozers have already been on site in recent weeks carrying out the necessary ground works, which do not require planning permission, so the the Magpies can actually start work on extending and improving the actual main building as soon as possible. Although the owners still plan to build a new state of the art training ground in the future, they were keen to get the absolute most out of the current facility in the interim by introducing: hydrotherapy and plunge pools; improved changing rooms; new doctor and physio rooms; an updated presentation room; a modern players' lounge; and an extended dining area among a number of other new features.
