Manchester United have outlined a fresh timeline for their planned £2bn new stadium, with a planning application expected within the next 12 to 18 months. The club unveiled proposals for a new home on the same site as their current Old Trafford stadium last March, but the project has faced delays, including negotiations with Freightliner over a nearby freight terminal.
Collette Roche, Chief Executive Officer of the New Stadium Development, provided an update at a property trade show in Cannes. She stated that land assembly should be completed within the next couple of months, marking an important milestone. The detailed design of the stadium is expected to take seven months, with the club working closely with the local council to align on housing and regeneration plans.
Roche also confirmed that the club is in the process of selecting a construction team for the project. “We are going through a process to make sure we get the best team in place… and then we will lock that in. Then we start to build the plans. It starts now,” she said.
Minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been a key advocate for the redevelopment, previously calling for a ‘Wembley of the North’. He emphasised the need for a world-class stadium in the North of England to serve the region and drive regeneration, noting that the North West has won 10 Champions League titles compared to London’s two.
