Manchester United could face uncertainty over their new stadium if the city gets a new mayor. The current mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, is running in the Makerfield by-election. He is a big supporter of the regeneration project, but a potential change could bring some more uncertainty over the building of 15,000 homes along with the new 100,000-seat stadium.
Stadium Project Details
United have promised that work is going on behind the scenes on the project surrounding the new stadium. It is hoped that the new ground will be ready in time for the Women’s World Cup in 2035.
The Times report that any new mayor could withdraw approval for funding arrangements, or possibly deny the compulsory purchase of land. It is, however, added that United are confident of being able to work with any new mayor.
Political Reactions
A spokesperson for Reform UK outlined their stance on the redevelopment. “Any future Reform UK mayor of Greater Manchester would continue to support this important redevelopment programme for Old Trafford,” they told The Times. “However, we would undertake a review of the project to ensure that the objectives and timelines are deliverable and that it has the right balance of public and private funding. It’s important that the project is not just a commercial success but should also bring benefits to Old Trafford and the wider Greater Manchester region.”
The Liberal Democrats also suggested that they would take a closer look at the plans. “Trafford is one of the most expensive places to live in the North,” the spokesperson said. “Developments touted by Andy Burnham have repeatedly failed to deliver truly affordable homes, often doing the exact opposite. We will not accept a continuation of the developer free-for-all synonymous with Burnham’s ‘Manchesterism’. We need clarity on the mix of private investment versus public capital expenditure. Is this project going to suck in all of Trafford council’s cap ex [capital expenditure] focus over the next half-decade? We will not allow public resources to be drained; we need to know exactly what the private sector is kicking in.”
