Coronation Street bosses have expressed excitement over the proposed new £2 billion Manchester United stadium, which will be built just a stone's throw from the iconic Weatherfield cobbles. Despite potential disruption to filming schedules, ITV officials insist the impact will be minimal.
A Coronation Street spokeswoman confirmed that ITV has 'consulted closely' on the Trafford Regeneration Plan. 'As matches and events typically occur on evenings and weekends, we expect operational impact to be minimal and we will schedule filming around any wildcard events, just as we do now,' she said. 'We welcome this regeneration and are excited to see two iconic British landmarks so close to each other.'
The proposed 100,000-seater stadium will be located approximately 350 metres north-west of the existing Old Trafford ground, at the heart of a new Stadium District. The development aims to create 48,000 local jobs, 15,000 new homes, and deliver a £7.3 billion-per-annum boost to the UK economy.
Collete Roche, CEO of New Stadium Development at Manchester United, described the project as a 'once-in-a-generation opportunity' and said it would preserve the heritage and traditions of Old Trafford while providing world-class facilities. However, some fans have expressed dismay that the stadium will no longer be called Old Trafford, though a new name has yet to be announced.
Coronation Street currently produces five half-hour episodes each week, filmed approximately eight weeks in advance. The show's production team is accustomed to scheduling around events and expects the new stadium to cause little disruption to their workflow.
