It might be an understatement to say: football is huge in Manchester. Now, following a huge overhaul on Manchester City’s stadium, Manchester United has thrown its support behind the Government’s growth agenda by announcing its intention to pursue a new 100,000-seater stadium (beating Wembley Stadium’s capacity of 90,000) as the centrepiece of the regeneration of the Old Trafford area.
The stadium, and wider regeneration project, have the potential to deliver an additional £7.3bn per year to the UK economy which brings large-scale social and economic benefits to the community and wider region, including the possible creation of 92,000 new jobs, more than 17,000 new homes as well as driving an additional 1.8 million visitors annually. Once construction is complete, the club’s existing Old Trafford home will be demolished – it has been Manchester United’s home since 1910.
Conceptual images and scaled models of what the new stadium and surrounding area could look like have been unveiled by Foster + Partners, the architecture group appointed to design the stadium district. These will provide a masterplan for more detailed feasibility, consultation, design and planning work as the project enters a new phase.
Foster + Partners say the new stadium would feature an umbrella design and a new public plaza that is “twice the size of Trafalgar Square“. The design will feature three masts described as “the trident”, which the architects say will be 200 metres high and visible from 25 miles away.
The stadium will be built using pre-fabrication, shipped in 160 components along the neighbouring Manchester Ship Canal.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, co-owner of Manchester United, said: “Today marks the start of an incredibly exciting journey to the delivery of what will be the world’s greatest football stadium, at the centre of a regenerated Old Trafford.
“Our current stadium has served us brilliantly for the past 115 years, but it has fallen behind the best arenas in world sport. By building next to the existing site, we will be able to preserve the essence of Old Trafford, while creating a truly state-of-the-art stadium that transforms the fan experience, only footsteps from our historic home.”
The most successful manager in English football history, Sir Alex Ferguson, said: “Manchester United should always strive for the best in everything it does, on and off the pitch, and that includes the stadium we play in. Old Trafford holds so many special memories for me personally, but we must be brave and seize this opportunity to build a new home, fit for the future, where new history can be made.”
Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “Our common goal on the Task Force has been to try to unlock the full power of the club for the benefit of its supporters and for Greater Manchester as a whole – creating thousands of new homes and jobs. If we get this right, the regeneration impact could be bigger and better than London 2012. Manchester United could, and indeed should, have the best football stadium in the world.
“To me, that means a stadium that is true to the traditions of the club, affordable to all, with nobody priced out, and a stadium that sets new standards in the game globally. I believe this vision can be realised, and if so, the benefits for Greater Manchester, the north west and the country will be huge.”
The new Manchester United stadium will form part of a wider regeneration of the Old Trafford area, predicted to be the biggest such project in the United Kingdom since the transformation of the Stratford area that accompanied the 2012 Olympics in London. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has already given government backing to the plans.
There is not yet an official timescale for the project, but we plan to keep you updated.