Manchester United need permission from airport authorities before progressing with new stadium plans

Manchester United have grand plans for a new 100,000-seater stadium to replace Old Trafford with the designs already out on social media.

The design incorporates the trident design from the club logo in the form of three masts with two of them set to be 150 metres high, while the tallest will be a whopping 200 metres high.

“The stadium is contained by a vast umbrella, harvesting energy and rainwater, and sheltering a new public plaza that is twice the size of Trafalgar Square,” was how Foster and Partners founder Lord Norman Foster described the project.

In fact, the tallest mast is expected to be visible from as far away as the outskirts of Liverpool and as per The Daily Mail, that is where the club could run into trouble.

Flight issues

Planes travelling to and from Manchester often fly above Old Trafford and the new masts could pose a problem for flights which is why permission will be needed from the Manchester Airport.

Any structure taller than 90 metres require clearance from the airport and so far, no talks with the concerned department have been initiated. The airport is four miles away from the ground.

“Manchester United’s plans for a vast 100,000-capacity new stadium, released last week, raised eyebrows in the aviation world, as well as the sporting sphere.

“The proposals feature three giant masts, which are modelled on the Red Devil’s trident on United’s crest.

Airport talks need to happen

“However, United’s stadium is often flown over by planes operating from Manchester Airport, and aviation enthusiasts have wondered how that will work should the project get the green light.

“Indeed, Inside Sport understands Old Trafford sits in a zone where any proposed structure of more than 90m needs permission from the airport itself before it can be built.”

Interestingly, the report mentions that United’s chief operating officer Collette Roche was formerly managing director at the Manchester airport and she could initiate talks soon if the club press ahead with their plans for the stadium.

The new stadium is expected to be completed within 2030 with 2032 set as the maximum deadline. How Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co. will fund the project remains to be seen with selling naming rights seen as one of the potential avenues to raise money.

Feature image Carl Recine via Getty Images

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