We live by a major Premier League stadium – we used to love it here but it’s so run down we’re being forced out
LOCALS who live next to a famous Premier League stadium say they used to love the area but now want to leave because its a s*** tip.
The collection of maisonettes, flats and older houses near Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium is known as the Grey Mare estate.
Many locals have witnessed the transformation of the area thanks to the construction of the 55,000 seater stadium and nearby sports campus over recent decades.
But after Manchester City Council recently approved plans for a £300m expansion of Manchester City’s stadium, locals on the Grey Mare estate claim they are being left behind.
Plans to refurbish and improve the old Grey Mere estates have been hit by a series of snags and financial set backs.
Now locals are saying they have had enough and want out.
One resident who has lived on the estate for 50 years told the Manchester Evening News: “I used to feel really good about living here.
“But since all this, it’s just a s*** tip – and it’s right by the stadium where thousands of people come.
“I’ve lived here since I was five – this is the first time I’ve thought I’d like to move.”
A masterplan drawn up in 2021 suggested demolishing 124 maisonettes, flats and houses and building 290 new homes but this too has been put on hold – with many properties now remaining boarded up.
Glenda O’Hanlon said the paused redevelopment plans left the estate looking like an unfinished “jigsaw puzzle”.
Manchester Central’s Labour MP Lucy Powell said she was “very concerned and disappointed” by a lack of progress redeveloping the estate.
She said: “I feel that the current leadership of One Manchester aren’t up to that task of delivering a big scheme like that.
“They’ve let residents down in the process and some of the work that’s been carried out has not been carried out to the standard we’d expect.”
One Manchester manages the social housing on the estate and planned to retrofit properties to improve their energy efficiency, but the scheme has stalled.
One Manchester admitted residents had “understandable frustrations” but blamed an absence of “appropriate government-backed funding”.
The firm said they were working with the city council “to make improvements for both our customers and the wider estate over the coming months”.
A spokesperson added: “We will also look to collaborate on further investment proposals with MCC in the future.”
Manchester council’s executive member for housing and development Gavin White said: “The proposals to invest in and regenerate the Grey Mare Lane estate remain a priority for the council.
“We reassured local people at a meeting last week that the planned works would continue as promised.
“This includes delivering new homes which will complement the previous investment in this community, including new schools and leisure centre.”
The £300m scheme to expand city’s stadium received the green light from town planners in July.
The proposal would see an extra 7,900 seats added to the north stand, increasing the stadium capacity to 61,958, as well as a a nine storey, 391-bedroom hotel and a new eight storey building constructed.
Building work is set to start later this year. The scheme is expected to be delivered by late 2026.