Man United could see Old Trafford expand to 87,000- or get new 100,000 home- in mayoral plans
A massive Old Trafford regeneration around a new 100,000-seat stadium, or 87,000 refurbished arena, is planned by the mayor.
Andy Burnham has named Old Trafford as a key ‘growth location’ for the next decade, a week after the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force concluded redevelopment of Manchester United’s home would increase its capacity to 87,000, while a new stadium would hold 100,000 fans.
Previously, the mayor outlined his hope to redevelop the neighbourhood around Manchester United’s home into a ‘mixed use’ area featuring apartment blocks, shopping centres, and new public transport stations.
Now, the mayor has confirmed work to redevelop the land around the Theatre of Dreams will go ahead regardless of the club’s decision to go for a new arena or refurbished stadium. His office believes the scheme ‘represents the biggest sports-led regeneration scheme since the London 2012 Olympics’.
To make it happen, a ‘Mayoral Development Corporation’ will be formed to ‘develop land and bring forward new infrastructure’, the GMCA added, meaning redeveloping the area has jumped to the top of the mayor’s priority list.
In all, six ‘growth locations’ have been named by officials, which the mayor says could ‘add an extra £13 billion a year to the UK economy’.
“Our plan will deliver urban regeneration at a pace and scale not seen before in my lifetime and rebalance the rewards of growth across the UK,” he added. “It will create tens of thousands of much-needed homes and high-quality jobs so all our residents can live good lives.”
The six growth locations include:
- ‘North east growth corridor’, where Atom Valley will be built.
- ‘Airport and southern growth corridor’, focusing development in Stockport and Wythenshawe town centres.
- ‘Eastern growth cluster’ which will link ‘key development opportunities of Ashton Moss, St. Petersfield, and Ashton town centre’.
- ‘Central growth cluster’ aiming to create more homes and 90,000 new jobs in the city centre.
- ‘Western gateway’, where efforts to redevelop Old Trafford, Carrington, Trafford Waters, and Port Salford will be focused.
- ‘Wigan and Bolton growth corridor’, where 12,000 new homes will be built alongside a new health campus connected to Royal Bolton Hospital.
It’s thought just one such area ‘could unlock 48,000 new jobs, 17,000 new homes, and add £4.2b to the local economy’. Although development will not be confined to these ‘growth locations’, it’s expected they will contribute to 75,000 new homes to be built by the end of the decade.