Man Utd want government to help deliver wider regeneration around new stadium

Manchester United wants the government to fully support its development plans for a new Old Trafford stadium and ensure the project delivers wider regional regeneration.

Chief operating officer Collette Roche has been talking up the economic and cultural benefits which could be achieved as part of the club’s plans.

United have ambitious designs beyond the ground itself, but first need to acquire a piece of privately-owned land near the Stretford End – something which may ultimately attract political intervention by way of a compulsory purchase order.

Speaking to the We Built This City podcast, Roche said: “It’s not just a Manchester United vision. It’s a vision for the region. It’s a vision for Trafford and it’s a vision for Manchester, and that’s why Andy Burnham (Mayor of Greater Manchester) and Trafford Council are really keen to work with us.

“There’s no point building the best and biggest stadium in the UK and it being on an island where you can’t get to it because the transport links aren’t there, or people can’t come on a non-match day or local businesses can’t be part of.

“So our ask of the government is that they support, not the stadium build, but support the infrastructure and the regeneration of the area.

“And when we’ve looked at it really closely, it actually ticks so many boxes for the government around their growth strategy. So it’s very easy for us to use this as a catalyst to help deliver the government plans.”

She added: “It’s very early in the journey, but it’s an amazing opportunity that we’ve got, not just for Manchester United, but for the region.

“Whilst we’ll build a stadium that’s great for our team and for the club and our fans, it’s so much more than that.

“It’s become a regional project and probably will be one of the biggest in Europe. As such, it’s bigger than us at Manchester United. So, we needed to get support and work with a lot of stakeholders across Manchester and central government.”