Manchester United have announced the º£½ÇÊÓƵ government has backed its plans for a new stadium and for massive regeneration initiatives surrounding Old Trafford. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has pinpointed Old Trafford for significant redevelopment, which could include either a brand-new stadium with a capacity of 100,000 or an upgraded arena seating 87,000 spectators, as suggested in the recent Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force's findings.
The mayor has confirmed that regardless of whether the Reds opt for a new construction or stadium improvements, the regeneration of the land surrounding the Theatre of Dreams is set to proceed. His office has described it as Britain's most substantial sports-led regeneration endeavour since the London 2012 Olympics, reports .
United has now confirmed that these plans have gained support from the government, with Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves hailing it as 'a shining example' of the government's strategy to stimulate economic growth. While United would oversee the stadium development, support from government would be needed in areas including enhanced transport infrastructure and residential development would be required.
"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," stated United CEO Omar Berrada in a statement on the club's website.
"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."
Andy Burnham said: "With our devolved powers we're mobilising the whole Greater Manchester system to lock in growth for the next decade and reap the rewards for our city-region and º£½ÇÊÓƵ plc.
"The project around Old Trafford represents the biggest opportunity for urban regeneration this country has seen since London 2012 and is a key part of our 10-year plan to turbocharge growth across Greater Manchester.
"We look forward to working with the Government on moving freight away from the site around Old Trafford to new locations to open up capacity for our rail network and unlock massive regeneration potential – delivering benefits across the whole of the North."
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