Manchester United have confirmed their new 100,000-seater stadium will be built on land recently purchased from Indurent, located some 350 metres from their current Old Trafford home, according to the club's Wharfside Strategic Masterplan released on Thursday.
New stadium location and heritage
The new ground will not sit on land directly connected to Old Trafford, but the club insists it will honour the current ground's history and traditions. The stadium will be the centrepiece of a purpose-built Stadium District designed for sport, entertainment, and year-round activity, serving as the flagship landmark of the wider Trafford Wharfside development.
Masterplan vision and economic impact
The masterplan outlines a bold vision for Trafford Wharfside, including new and improved public transport links, enhanced rail connectivity, and extensive walking and cycling infrastructure. The area aims to become a diverse neighbourhood creating 48,000 local jobs and 15,000 new homes, with the new stadium acting as a catalyst. It is estimated the development could offer a £7.3bn per year boost to the UK economy, reports the Manchester Evening News.
CEO statement on fan experience
Collette Roche, CEO of the 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."
She added: "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."
Council leader's vision for Wharfside
Coun Tom Ross, leader of Trafford council, added: "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."
Ross described Wharfside as becoming "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."
