Design & Development

Foster + Partners appointed for Old Trafford Stadium District

Featured image credit: Joe Yong on Unsplash

Manchester United has announced that the Foster + Partners architecture studio will lead the planning concerning its future home by developing a masterplan for the Old Trafford Stadium District.

The Premier League football club said today (Friday) that Foster + Partners’ initial remit will cover the club-owned land that surrounds the existing stadium. United stressed that the stadium itself will not form part of this exercise, with its design to begin once the club has decided on the development options.

Foster + Partners’ focus will be to design a world-class football destination and home for United fans, coupled with a wider masterplan comprising mixed-use developments which will seek to benefit the local community, attract new residents, increase job provision, and make it a vibrant destination for visitors.

The exercise will include substantial engagement with fans, community members, local authorities and the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force, which was formed in March and whose feedback and insights will be incorporated into the masterplan design. 

Foster + Partners will also provide recommendations on how the Stadium District masterplan can best complement and align with the existing Trafford Wharfside masterplan and the objectives of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) for the city region.

In April 2022, United appointed Legends International and Populous to lead a team tasked with creating a masterplan for the redevelopment of Old Trafford. However, Foster + Partners was reported to have come to the forefront of United’s thinking in recent months.

This was reinforced in June when United engaged Foster + Partners to carry out a £50m (€59.5m/$66.4m) revamp of its Carrington Training Complex.

Lord Foster, founder and executive chairman of Foster + Partners, said today: “As a proud Mancunian, I am passionate about the chance to rebuild on Manchester’s great industrial heritage, creating a vibrant new mixed-use community, served by highly sustainable and improved transport links, providing homes and jobs for the local community, all catalysed by a world-class stadium for the world’s most famous football team – Manchester United.” 

Collette Roche, Manchester United chief operating officer, added: “We have a clear vision to transform and revitalise the club-owned land around Old Trafford and we know that Foster + Partners is the best partner to help us develop the plans.

“This is an area of Greater Manchester ready for major new investment so that it can thrive once more, and we are determined to help deliver those outcomes. 

“We want this area to become a true destination, that not only provides an unbeatable matchday experience for our fans, but also supports other forms of entertainment, leisure, business and residential facilities surrounding a world-class stadium. Lord Foster has unrivalled experience in delivering projects of this scale and ambition.”

Earlier this week, United said it would launch a survey for fans to share their thoughts on the future of Old Trafford, amid reports that the club is no longer considering converting the stadium into a venue for its women’s and youth teams.

The fan survey has been shared via email today and marks the first step in the fan consultation phase of the Old Trafford Regeneration project. Last week, United entered into a strategic partnership with Trafford Council and the GMCA to drive regeneration opportunities for the area around Old Trafford.

United has not yet confirmed its plans for Old Trafford but reports emerged in July that the club has set its sights on building a new 100,000-capacity stadium next to the current ground instead of redeveloping the venue. A final decision is expected to be made by the end of the year.

In August, it was reported that United could reduce Old Trafford to a 30,000-capacity venue for women’s and youth games if it builds a new stadium. According to the Daily Mail, the club is now “ready to abandon” these plans and would be prepared to demolish Old Trafford if it ends up building a new home.

The report claimed that United officials believe downsizing Old Trafford would be too complex a project to carry out alongside the building of a new stadium from scratch. Instead, United is said to be planning on setting up a heritage focus group to ensure Old Trafford’s history can be preserved if it is demolished.

It has been reported that a new stadium would cost United more than £2bn and take six years to complete. United co-owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has previously set out his vision for a 100,000-capacity stadium that would rival the revamped Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid and the Spotify Camp Nou in Barcelona.