Man Utd confirm £2bn plans to build biggest stadium in UK

Manchester United have confirmed their plans to build a new 100,000-capacity stadium situated close to their current Old Trafford home.

Architects at Foster and Partners state the new stadium and surrounding complex will feature an umbrella design and a new public plaza that is "twice the size of Trafalgar Square", in line with the Government's growth agenda and regeneration plans for the local area.

United say the project has the potential to deliver an extra £7.3bn to the United Kingdom's economy, create close to 100,000 new jobs and drive an additional 1.8 million visitors to the area annually. It's thought the construction could cost in the region of £2bn – a significant amount of money, not at least because the Red Devils are currently close to being £1bn in debt.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe said in a club statement: “Today marks the start of an incredibly exciting journey to the delivery of what will be the world’s greatest football stadium, at the centre of a regenerated Old Trafford.

"Our current stadium has served us brilliantly for the past 115 years, but it has fallen behind the best arenas in world sport. By building next to the existing site, we will be able to preserve the essence of Old Trafford, while creating a truly state-of-the-art stadium that transforms the fan experience, only footsteps from our historic home. 

"Just as important is the opportunity for a new stadium to be the catalyst for social and economic renewal of the Old Trafford area, creating jobs and investment, not just during the construction phase, but on a lasting basis when the stadium district is complete. The Government has identified infrastructure investment as a strategic priority, particularly in the north of England, and we are proud to be supporting that mission with this project of national, as well as local, significance."

United's chief executive, Omar Berrada, added: "Our long-term objective as a club is to have the world’s best football team playing in the world’s best stadium. We are grateful for the feasibility work done by the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force exploring options for the future of Old Trafford.

"We have carefully considered its findings, together with the views of thousands of fans and local residents and concluded that a new stadium is the right way forward for Manchester United and our surrounding community. We will now embark on further consultation to ensure that fans and residents continue to be heard as we move towards final decisions."

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