UK government eager to expedite Manchester United's new stadium project
What's the story
The UK government is keen to proceed with the construction of Manchester United's new stadium, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy has said.
Earlier this month, the football club revealed its plans to leave its current home at Old Trafford for a bigger venue with seating capacity for 100,000 spectators.
The ambitious project will make it Britain's largest stadium.
Project details
The stadium will be built on club-owned land
The new stadium, referred to as 'New Trafford' in initial talks, is based on the dream of minority stakeholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe to build a 'Wembley of the North.'
It will be built on Manchester United-owned land close to Old Trafford.
Architect Lord Foster estimates it will take five years to complete this project.
Government support
Nandy assures government's commitment to the project
Nandy assured the government is completely committed to making Manchester United's new stadium project happen.
Speaking to Sky Sports News, Nandy said of the project: "It's a moving feast at the moment, but we are impatient to get the economy growing again and get projects like this off the ground. We're not wasting a minute. The Chancellor, Business Secretary and I have been in discussions and we're really keen to crack on."
Eco-friendly design
New Trafford will be an eco-friendly stadium
The new stadium's design, as its architects revealed, features an umbrella structure that will harness solar energy and rainwater.
Further, three masts are planned to make the venue visible from as far as 40km away.
Despite Manchester United's over £1 billion debt, funding details for this project remain unconfirmed.
However, Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester has assured no public funds will be used for constructing this new stadium.
Economic impact
The project could create 90,000 jobs
Ratcliffe had expressed optimism about the project on its launch day, saying if the government fully backs this scheme, an iconic football stadium will be built.
A spokesperson for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had revealed this proposal involves considerable investment and could create around 90,000 jobs while giving a massive boost to the economy.
"We are really excited about the project," Nandy added. "There's a huge knock-on effect for the whole local economy."
Information
Government keen on maximizing the benefits of such projects
"Manchester United have to make their own plans and satisfy their own investors. What we have to do as a Government is maximise the benefits of projects like these for the communities that they serve," she added.
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Second largest football stadium in Europe
As per Sky Sports, this will be the second largest football stadium in Europe. It will only be behind the Nou Camp in Barcelona