Manchester United have received a major boost in plans for the redevelopment of Old Trafford with UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves throwing her support behind the project.
Reeves says United’s ambition to create a community hub around the stadium is a “shining example of the bold pro-development model that will drive growth across the region” — in a sign the government is ready to help enable some form of financial backing.
United would be expected to pay for an upgraded stadium, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s preference a new 100,000-capacity build, but a ‘development corporation’ could be set up to assist on the surrounding areas. The club believe a re-energised Trafford Park has the potential to deliver an additional £7.3billion ($9.7bn) to the local economy and 90,000 job opportunities.
Sunday’s announcement by the Treasury on the government website heralding “bold reforms” to the country’s planning system read: “The Chancellor also revealed today that she is championing a regeneration project around Old Trafford in Manchester that will see new housing, commercial and public space as a shining example of the bold pro-development model that will drive growth across the region, with authorities exploring setting up a mayoral development corporation body to redevelop the area.”
Reeves later posted on X: “When it comes to planning and infrastructure, for too long the answer has been ‘no’. We’re doing things differently. By removing the blockers that chokehold growth, we’ll get Britain building and our economy growing for working people.”
Reeves wants to “drive growth” across the Manchester region (Florence Lo/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Omar Berrada, United’s chief executive, added: “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.”
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United’s regeneration task force has been examining the feasibility of reshaping Old Trafford, either through a new stadium or developing the current site, and published an options report a fortnight ago. United are expected to make a decision at the end of the season on which route to go down — with an upgraded Old Trafford projected at 87,000 capacity.
A fresh construction on adjacent land already owned by United is the desire of Ratcliffe, but is set to cost at least £2billion, and there is still a huge question of how it would be funded. But positivity from the government to support the wider project is encouraging from a United perspective.
Keir Starmer’s Labour government has an agenda to reform planning regulations, making such major redevelopments easier to achieve. Development corporations are viewed as a good way to finance large-scale projects, although it is as yet unclear how much of the public purse would be required for the regeneration around Old Trafford.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, a member of the United task force, has said: “These proposals offer the biggest opportunity for urban regeneration this country has seen since London 2012 and are an important part of our 10-year plan to turbocharge growth not only around Old Trafford but across Greater Manchester.
“Our city-region is in a unique position. We are driving growth faster than the UK average, attracting more investment through innovative partnerships, and we have developed an innovative new mechanism to deliver the homes, jobs, and infrastructure that we need to lock in those benefits for years to come.”
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(Top photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
