MANCHESTER UNITED UNVEIL PLANS FOR 100,000-SEATER OLD TRAFFORD REGENERATION PROJECT
Manchester United unveiled the first images of their ambitious Old Trafford regeneration project, expected to cost upwards of £2 billion ($2.5 billion) on Monday this week. United aim at reimagining the project around a new or refurbished 100,000 seat capacity stadium, which would make Old Trafford the largest stadium in the UK and the second-biggest in Europe, behind only Barcelona’s Camp Nou whose ongoing renovations aim to see the stadium eventually housing up to 105,000 fans.
The project at Old Trafford, estimated to take up to six years until its completion, will be undertaken by renowned architectural firm, Foster + Partners, who have the tough task of realizing minority owner Jim Ratcliffe’s “Wembley of the North” concept before the decade is out, while still embodying and integrating the club’s history into the new-look stadium.
Norman Foster, the Baron Foster of Thames Bank and the founder and executive chairman of Foster + Partners, said regarding the project: “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 catalyzed by a world-class stadium for the world’s most famous football team – Manchester United.”
Per a preliminary economic impact assessment done by Oxford Economics, one of the world’s foremost independent global advisory firms, initial estimates suggest that the project could deliver an additional £7.3 billion per year to the UK’s economy, making it one of the nation’s biggest economic contributors. Oxford Economics estimated that the regeneration would create 92,000 new jobs, 17,000 new homes as well as drive an additional 1.8 million visitors to the city on a yearly basis.
“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,” said Manchester United chief operating officer Collette Roche. “We want this area to become a true destination, that not only provides an unbeatable match day 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.”
United are also working in conjunction with the city of Manchester to realize these regeneration plans for Old Trafford and its surrounding areas. Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, spoke about the project at a Labor conference in Liverpool on Monday and reassured fans that no public funds will be spent on the club’s plans for revamping Old Trafford for the time being.
“What this is about, is this amazing development being a catalyst for a whole range of benefits for people in the North West,” said Burnham. “And I want to describe to you really clearly, what kind of is at the heart of the plan that we are developing, and it relates to the freight that is currently located behind Old Trafford, taking it out of our city center.”
“That then fixes things for passengers but what that then does, finally, is free up the space around Old Trafford so that the club is able to have all of its options looked at and has the biggest possible footprint to use to bring forward the most ambitious regeneration. They [fans] can expect one of, if not, the best stadium in the world, but around that residents can expect better community facilities and all of Greater Manchester will expect to see many thousands of jobs which will bring new investors to Greater Manchester.”
Former Manchester United legend and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville, who has been a long-time advocate for the development of Old Trafford and its surroundings, is involved in the planning stages of the project and labeled it “a win-win.” The regeneration could be worth £7.3 billion per year to the UK economy, according to The Daily Mail.
“What this will do is redistribute the fray into a different part of the North West, to allow the capacity to open up in Greater Manchester and Liverpool, and other parts and beyond,” Neville told Sky Sports. “That will have a massive impact on the economy locally. If you try to get on a train from Manchester to London or if you try to get on trains around Manchester and around Liverpool, it’s tough. We need upgrades in our public transport and that’s what’s happening here.”
“We’re talking about an opportunity that can regenerate, obviously, the area in Trafford in Greater Manchester but also correct what would be a struggling transport network in the north of England. So, it’s a win-win all around.”
While the stadium plans haven’t pinpointed whether the new regime will actually build a brand new stadium that would transition the club from the iconic Old Trafford to a new, state-of-the-art, modern sports arena, Neville emphasized that he didn’t mind if United just renovated the stadium or built an entirely new one, with his focus on development around the facility and its impact on areas around it.
“I’m actually not fussed whether we have a new stadium or whether we have a refurbished Manchester United stadium,” added Neville. “Whether it’s [like] a Tottenham [Hotspur] Stadium that’s brand new or whether it’s a refurbished Real Madrid type stadium, I know that Manchester United will get a great stadium.”
“The most important thing for me is actually the regeneration of the wider area and making it look like the world of opportunity. Manchester United’s voice is so powerful and unique, it’s got the ability to be impactful beyond football. And I think that’s what this project will do.”
-Maher Abucheri
Twitter: @pabloikonyero
Photo: Steve Collis. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.