The successful candidate will work alongside Lord Sebastian Coe to lead the regeneration of the land around Manchester United’s ground into a mixed-use scheme featuring 15,000 homes.
Applications for the role of project director, who will be responsible for delivering the strategic vision for the regeneration of Old Trafford and developing and implementing a business plan, are now open, Trafford Council has confirmed.
They will work within the Old Trafford Regeneration Mayoral Development Corporation, which is chaired by former Olympic medallist Coe.
The aim of the MDC is to spearhead the project, among the highest profile regeneration initiatives in the country and one that could generate more than £7bn for UK plc and £4.2bn locally, according to research by Oxford Economics.
A masterplan for the 400-acre opportunity is currently being drawn up by Allies and Morrison and is due for completion early next year.
The centrepiece of the scheme is a new stadium for Manchester United but a standoff about land values is holding that project up.
“The Old Trafford Regeneration project represents the biggest opportunity for urban regeneration this country has seen since London 2012,” said Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to leave a lasting legacy and deliver a project that will benefit not just Trafford and Greater Manchester but the whole of the UK.”
Cllr Liz Patel, Trafford Council’s executive member for economy and regeneration, said: “For this scheme to be successful we need the best possible people leading it and we’re excited to see who will rise to the challenge.
“The creation of the MDC ties in with Trafford Council’s priority of fostering a thriving economy and homes for all. We can’t wait to see this ambitious vision for the future of this iconic and internationally important area take shape and make a real difference for the people who live, work and visit Old Trafford.”
The Old Trafford regeneration project is not the only potentially transformational scheme seeking someone to steer it. Blackpool Council is on the look out for someone to lead the development of Silicon Sands, a data centre cluster within the town’s enterprise zone.