Manchester United have moved another step closer to building their ‘Wembley of the North’ by announcing the proposed location of the £2billion stadium to replace Old Trafford.
It follows last month’s acquisition of a 25-acre site close to the existing stadium after United walked away from talks with Freightliner over building on the freight terminal behind the Stretford End.
United’s new 100,000-seater home will be at the heart of a new Stadium District, located 350 metres north-west of Old Trafford and become what is described as the ‘flagship landmark’ of a wider Trafford Wharfside development.
The stadium will be the catalyst for the project that is expected to create 48,000 jobs and 15,000 new homes, boosting the UK economy by £7.3billion-a-year.
The plans were unveiled at Old Trafford on Thursday morning as part of a masterplan published by Trafford Council and supported by partners including the Old Trafford Regeneration Mayoral Development Corporation (OTR MDC), Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).
Man United’s new 100,000-seater home will be at the heart of a new Stadium District – as revealed in new images released today
The new stadium is set to be located 350 metres north-west of Old Trafford and become what is described as the ‘flagship landmark’
There have been questions over where United’s stadium where sit – and the masterplan now shows the spot the club are eyeing up
Collette Roche, United’s CEO of new stadium development, said: ‘The publication of the Wharfside Masterplan marks another significant milestone in our journey to create a new world-class home for Manchester United at the heart of a vibrant and transformational district for Trafford and Greater Manchester.
‘Together with our partners, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver a destination that creates lasting benefits for supporters, local communities and the wider region for decades to come.
‘The proposed stadium site is ideally located alongside Old Trafford, enabling us to preserve the heritage, traditions and matchday rituals that are so important to our supporters, while also providing the connectivity and infrastructure required to deliver a truly world-class fan experience.
‘We are committed to building a world-class stadium with our supporters, not simply for them. Atmosphere, affordability and accessibility will remain at the heart of our plans, and we look forward to continuing our engagement with fans and other stakeholders as we move into the next phase of design and development.’
Lord Sebastian Coe, chair of Old Trafford Regeneration Mayoral Development Corporation, welcomed the news, saying: ‘This is a great day and an important step on our road to achieving the best of everything for Old Trafford, in terms of places for sport, leisure, residential and business.
‘The masterplan really makes the forthcoming transformation begin to feel real and achievable – that it’s really happening, and now! So much is still to be decided and refined in consultation with everyone involved, but the framework is most definitely in place.’
Although United unveiled a design of the new stadium at the headquarters of Foster + Partners last year, it is not final and fans will be consulted over how it will eventually look.
United plan to release more images of their stadium plans soon – after these 2025 mock-ups
The planned area is said to be ‘a vibrant and transformational district for Trafford and Greater Manchester’
No decision has been made over the future of Old Trafford – United’s home for 116 years – but it’s understood that key elements of the old stadium will be incorporated into the plans.
Cllr Tom Ross, Leader of Trafford Council, said: ‘We are delighted to introduce the masterplan which starts a long journey to piece together what could happen where, to bring this world-class cultural and sporting destination to life.
‘We want to create a great place to be, not just on matchdays but every day – and we’re looking for as many residents and businesses as possible to help us to shape this vision, through our forthcoming consultation process.
‘Wharfside will become a network of attractive neighbourhoods in which to live, work, wander, explore, relax with family, enjoy nature and wildlife, meet friends, eat out, have a drink, shop and be entertained.
‘It will have the best of parks and waterside spaces, housing including affordable options in vibrant and diverse localities, new health and educational facilities, joined up public transport and places to walk, cycle and be active.’
