The Newcastle United Supporters’ Trust (NUST) has submitted an application for St James’s Park to be designated an asset of community value.
After an NUST meeting, its board agreed to send a submission to Newcastle City Council.
If the stadium is designated an asset of community value, it would require its owners to consult with the community if any significant changes are planned, or if any land was set to be sold.
An NUST statement said: “The Localism Act (2011) devolved powers to local communities to nominate places that are important to them as assets of community value.
“The local authority is required to list them for up to five years and places a requirement on owners of the assets to consult with the local community if any significant changes are proposed, particularly if they plan to sell the ‘asset’.
“In Newcastle, we are already in a better position than many clubs because the freehold of the land upon which the ground stands is owned by the Freeman of the City and not Mr Ashley, who owns the club, including the stands.
“We still believe it is an important symbolic statement to make that for people in the North-East, our football club and its ground is an integral part of the local community.”