Allies and Morrison unveils masterplan around new Man Utd stadium

Published today (9 July) as part of a public consultation, the Trafford Wharfside masterplan sets out plans to establish a ‘new city district for Trafford and Greater Manchester, with Manchester United’s new state-of-the-art stadium at its heart’.

The 15-year-long regeneration plan proposes 15,000 new homes, commercial and cultural uses, plus transport and green space surrounding a 100,000-capacity stadium for the Premier League club.

Building upon the character and heritage of the area, the London and Manchester-based practice said its vision was for a diverse neighbourhood, creating 48,000 local jobs and with the potential to offer a £7.3 billion per annum boost to the UK economy.

Consultation documents say the majority of the masterplan’s central areas will be characterised by high-density but varied building heights, with residential buildings ranging from 6 to 25 storeys. Up to 40 storeys ‘may be considered appropriate’ depending on viability considerations.

Key moves include regenerating waterfront areas on the Ship Canal and Salford Quay, while maintaining views of the new stadium and Daniel Libeskind’s Imperial War Museum North by stepping down massing to both landmarks.

Trafford Wharfside would also create a ‘city-scale public park to serve existing and new communities and provide a visual and physical connection’ between the new stadium and the museum.

Publication of the masterplan comes after Manchester United last month agreed to pay an undisclosed sum for a 10ha plot, just 350m from Old Trafford, to London-based logistics firm Indurent, which is owned by US investment giant Blackstone.

It is understood developing the masterplan and stadium designs hinged on securing a site.

United had hoped to purchase a plot from its neighbour, freight company Freightliner. However, talks with Freightliner stalled, and the club has instead agreed a deal for a different site to the north-west of Old Trafford, between Wharfside Way, Europa Way and John Gilbert Way.

The AJ understands a round of separate consultation will happen on developed plans for Foster + Partner’s designs for the stadium, dubbed ‘Wembley of the North’, which was originally shown off in March 2025 with a huge ‘umbrella’ roof supported by three 200m ‘trident’ towers covering a public plaza ‘twice the size of Trafalgar Square’.

Chief executive of Manchester United’s New Stadium Development, Collette Roche, 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.

‘The proposed stadium site is ideally located alongside Old Trafford … 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.’

No plans have been confirmed for the existing Old Trafford stadium, which has been Manchester United FC’s home for the past 115 years.

In 2024, club officials recommended building an all-new stadium at a cost of around £2 billion, rather than upgrading the existing structure. It concluded that refurbishment would cost between £1 billion and £1.2 billion and reduce stadium capacity while works took place.

The Trafford Wharfside masterplan is being backed by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Trafford Council and the Old Trafford Regeneration Mayoral Development Corporation, backed by the Premier League side, which includes Sebastian Coe.

Coe, chair of Old Trafford Regeneration Mayoral Development Corporation, said of the masterplan publication: ‘This is a great day and an important step on our road to achieving the best of everything for Old Trafford, in terms of places for sport, leisure, residential and business.

‘The masterplan really makes the forthcoming transformation begin to feel real and achievable – that it’s really happening, and now! So much is still to be decided and refined in consultation with everyone involved, but the framework is most definitely in place.’