What is Trafford Park?
{{Infobox UK place | country = England | map_type = Greater Manchester | coordinates = {{coord|53.4650|-2.3231|display=inline,title}} | official_name = Trafford Park | population = | metropolitan_borough = [[Trafford]] | metropolitan_county = [[Greater Manchester]] | region = North West England | constituency_westminster = [[Stretford and Urmston (UK Parliament constituency)|Stretford and Urmston]] | post_town = MANCHESTER | postcode_area = M | postcode_district = M17 | dial_code = 0161 | os_grid_reference = SJ785965 | static_image = Aerial photograph of Manchester, Salford and Trafford.jpg | static_image_width = 240px | static_image_caption = An aerial view over [[Manchester city centre]] (top) and Trafford Park (bottom) south of the [[Manchester Ship Canal]]. }} '''Trafford Park''' is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of [[Trafford]], Greater Manchester, England. It is opposite [[Salford Quays]] on the southern side of the [[Manchester Ship Canal]]. It is 3.4 miles (5.5 km) southwest of [[Manchester]] city centre and 1.3 miles (2.1 km) north of [[Stretford]]. From about 1200 until the late 19th century, it was the home of the [[de Trafford]] family. They sold it to financier Ernest Terah Hooley in 1896. It is 4.7 square miles (12 km<sup>2</sup>). It was the first planned [[industrial estate]] in the world. It is still the largest in Europe. In the Second World War it was where the [[Avro Manchester]] and [[Avro 683 Lancaster|Avro Lancaster]] heavy bombers, and the [[Rolls-Royce|Rolls-Royce Merlin]] engines used to power the [[Supermarine Spitfire|Spitfire]], Hurricane, Mosquito and the Lancaster were made. It was bombed by the [[Luftwaffe]], particularly during the [[Manchester Blitz]] of December 1940. In 1945 about 75,000 people worked there. In 2023 about 35,000 worked there.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Trafford Park|url=http://www.invest