Manchester United has shared plans for a new stadium to mark the start of an “exciting journey”.
The club has published a conceptual image of a new 100,000-seater stadium, which acts as the centrepiece in the UK government’s regeneration plans of the Old Trafford area.
Architecture group Foster + Partners, appointed to design the stadium district, provided the image which will provide a masterplan for more detail as the project enters a new phase.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Co-Owner of Manchester United, commented: “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.”
Part of a wider plan
Ratcliffe teased supporters about the announcement yesterday (11 March) when he sat down for an interview with former Manchester United player Gary Neville on The Overlap YouTube channel.
The interview saw Neville challenge Ratcliffe on several controversial actions the billionaire has overseen since purchasing a minority stake in the club. However, at the end of the conversation, the former United captain moved onto one “huge positive” – the new stadium plans of which he has played a part.
The former player described the plans as “absolutely spectacular”, able to see them ahead of the general public due to his seat on the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force.
Lord Sebastian Coe, Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, and Sara Todd, Chief Executive of Trafford Council, sit alongside Neville on the task force. The group was created to explore options for revitalising the Old Trafford area, aiming to gain the support of the government to help fund the ambitious plans.
“Just as important is the opportunity for a new stadium to be the catalyst for social and economic renewal of the Old Trafford area, creating jobs and investment not just during the construction phase but on a lasting basis when the stadium district is complete,” Ratcliffe added.
“The government has identified infrastructure investment as a strategic priority, particularly in the north of England, and we are proud to be supporting that mission with this project of national, as well as local, significance.”
The Premier League club predicts the project has the potential to deliver an additional £7.3bn per year to the UK economy. It also notes the possible creation of 92,000 new jobs and more than 17,000 new homes as well as driving an additional 1.8 million visitors annually.
Commenting on the new plans, Burnham 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.”
When Manchester United announced it was seeking government funding, the majority of rival fans questioned whether taxpayers’ money should be used. However, speaking to Neville, Ratcliffe explained that United would pay for the stadium and that the government’s money would be used for the wider area.
He said: “In a regeneration project, there has to be a focus or a nucleus otherwise all you are doing is building a housing estate and shopping centre and that doesn’t normally end well. So, I think that if the government goes ahead with their regeneration project on a scale that befits the north of England… I think we should underpin that with the world’s most iconic football stadium.”
