Design & Development

United welcomes government backing for Old Trafford project

Featured image credit: Thomas Foster on Unsplash

Manchester United’s plans to regenerate the area around Old Trafford have been backed by the UK Treasury, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves championing the project as a “shining example” of the government’s plans to promote economic growth.

United welcomed the announcement of government support for the project, which centres on the development of a new “world-class” stadium. The club is yet to announce whether it will pursue a redevelopment of the current Old Trafford or build a new stadium from scratch.

In a statement released on Saturday, the UK Treasury revealed that Reeves is championing the project, which will include new housing, commercial and public space, as a “shining example of the bold pro-development model that will drive growth across the region”.

In a statement welcoming the government’s support, United said that while the club would be responsible for the stadium development, support from public bodies would be needed to “unlock the wider regeneration opportunity, including improved transport infrastructure and housing”.

United is working with Trafford Council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to develop plans for the regeneration of the Old Trafford area. Authorities are exploring the possibility of setting up a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) body to redevelop the area.

United chief executive Omar Berrada said: “The delivery of a world-class stadium can be the catalyst for major regeneration of an area of Greater Manchester which requires new investment to thrive again.

“We cannot achieve that wider aim on our own, which is why we welcome the announcement by the Chancellor and the ongoing support of the Mayor of Greater Manchester and Trafford Council. If we work together, there is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a landmark project around Old Trafford that the whole region can be proud of.”

The Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force recently completed its initial feasibility work to explore options for a new or redeveloped Old Trafford. The club is set to decide on its preferred approach ahead of the summer.

An Options Report has been submitted by the Task Force to executive bodies at United, GMCA and Trafford Borough Council. Following the publication of the Options Report, the authorities will discuss the benefits of establishing an MDC to help drive the project forward.

GMCA last week set out plans to form an MDC for the Old Trafford area in an effort to propel the wider regeneration scheme. Its 10-year plan would seek to “turbocharge growth” and deliver tens of thousands of jobs and homes for its residents.

The Task Force was set up last March to oversee options for the regeneration of the Old Trafford area. It has been determined that a redeveloped Old Trafford could increase the capacity of the existing stadium to 87,000, while a new-build stadium would allow capacity to reach 100,000.

A survey carried out by the club back in November found that the majority of fans would prefer a new stadium. In September, United offered a first glimpse of what a rebuilt Old Trafford could look like as the club released the findings of an economic report that was led by Oxford Economics.

It has been reported that a new stadium would cost United more than £2bn (€2.4bn/$2.5bn) 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.