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[daveypodmore]

FEBRUARY 10 - LONDON'S Olympic Park will house a secondary school and a leisure and sports academy in addition to being a world-class athletics arena after the 2012 Games, under new plans unveiled today.

They form a key part of the vision of how the Olympic Park in Stratford, East London, will develop over the next two decades.

The £9.3 billion Olympic project is also set to become the base of a new 1,000-pupil secondary school, with plans for a range of new facilities for sports in and around the Park to be left after the 2012 Games.

Educational sites also include three new primary schools and a sports academy in the £547 million Olympic Stadium, which will be downsized after the Games to a 25,000-capacity arena that will continue to host major athletics events.

A new arts academy and primary school have also been earmarked in the Olympic Village.

The determination of the Mayor Borish Johnson to create an Olympic university using the facilities built for the broadcast centre are also included in the plan, as well as a hub for creative and technology-based businesses.

The masterplan also envisages the creation of 10,000 new homes, in addition to up to 3,000 in the Olympic Village, and 10,000 jobs on top of those created by the Stratford City retail and business development.

Other sporting venues, including the Aquatics Centre and Velodrome, will be retained for community and elite sporting use and for staging major events.

They will be complemented by a range of new facilities for sports in and around the Park, such as football, hockey, tennis and mountain biking.

The London Development Agency (LDA), which has been leading the legacy planning work, will consult on the plans, known as the Legacy Masterplan Framework over the next six weeks.

The consultation includes 22 events, which the public can attend, as well as the opportunity to comment online at www.legacynow.co.uk.

The plan sets out precise plans for the regeneration of the area around Stratford and Hackney Wick following criticisms from Johnson last year that planning for the Games legacy, one of the central planks of the London Olympic bid, had been badly neglected and was behind schedule.

Johnson said: “One of my main concerns was always the lack of a clear vision for the legacy that would be left for East London from the huge investment we were making in staging the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“Now I believe that the future for this most deprived area is spectacularly bright. “

The plan, which has been produced by the London Development Agency in co-operation with the five Host Olympic Boroughs and is subject to consultation, is intended to form the basis for an overarching planning application for the regeneration schemes.

The Mayor’s advisers hope a wide-ranging planning application will lessen the risk for developers and encourage private sector funding of the legacy projects.

Though they acknowledge that the recession has brought private sector investment to a halt, they stress that the plan covers a 30-year development period after 2012.

The plan sets out the vision of new communities surrounded by parklands and reclaimed waterways.

It includes plans to house the National Skills Academy for Sports in the Stadium as well as a centre for English Institute of Sport.

The Stadium will host athletic events but retain the potential to stage other sports and leisure events, such as concerts.

Last week Tessa Jowell, Olympics minister, and Johnson announced the formation of a legacy delivery company to manage the Olympic Park.

She said: "We pledged in Singapore [where London were awarded the Games in 2005] that the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games would deliver more than just six weeks of sport.

"We promised that it would transform London and leave a lasting legacy for the economy, culture, sport and tourism.

"The infrastructure of the area will change forever, with a sport, business and cultural park that I hope will act as a magnet for business and investment."

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears said: "The communities of East London really have been at the heart of producing this very extensive framework.

"We have seen real teamwork from residents, businesses, local councils and many other partners in making sure a legacy is created that will benefit people for years to come.

"From the very start we made sure the voices of local people living and working, in and around the Olympic Park were central to creating a plan that people were not only proud of but more importantly helped to create."

Sir Robin Wales, the Mayor of Newham, said: "We want this to be a place that provides opportunities for local people and becomes a real powerhouse for prosperity in the capital.

"These plans to transform the landscape will be accompanied by a Strategic Regeneration Framework which commits partners to work together not just to provide the new homes, parklands and infrastructure, but also to build successful new communities and once and for all close the gap in opportunities and prosperity between East London and the rest of the capital."

Tom Russell, the LDA's director of Olympic Legacy, said: "Today we are able to show people exactly how the 2012 Games will regenerate one of the most deprived areas in the country.

"The legacy plans for the Olympic Park site have been shaped by the communities that live around them and the consultation is their chance to refine that vision.

“It will be part of a wider economic, social and physical regeneration strategy which looks at the future development of the areas around the Olympic site.

"This will ensure that the regeneration benefits of the 2012 Games are felt across London.

"This is another milestone that has paved a bright future for a formerly neglected area.”

Check out the website www.legacynow.co.uk some new renderings too

[daveypodmore]

[daveypodmore]

They are basically creating 6 new neighbourhoods. The six new neighbourhoods within the Park that expand into the existing, surrounding neighbourhoods. Together these neighbourhoods will create a thriving new heart for East London.

The new neighbourhoods will be informed by the character of existing local places to ensure that there are no divides between old and new. They will each have a broad mix of housing sizes, ownership and rental options.

The six neighbourhoods in the legacy plans are:

Stratford Waterfront – a distinctive waterfront location adjacent to Waterworks River and Stratford City

Olympic Quarter – a focus for sport, education and housing around the Main Stadium

Old Ford – a family housing area focused on the waterways of the Hackney Cut

Hackney Wick East – a learning, living and working neighbourhood

Stratford Village – a family neighbourhood area to the north of Stratford City

Pudding Mill Lane – a mixed employment and housing area in a unique waterfront setting

[Rafa]

Video:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england...don/7881794.stm

[Rafa]

Large:
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[daveypodmore]

OOh heck, are the London doubters speachless.

Sounds like we are gonna an olympic park that is beautiful, functional and full of atmosphere during time. And a legacy that not only serves the community but enhances a very run down part of London whilst still retaining much of the landscaped park, leaving a miriad of much needed facilities. They are delivering everything that they set out in their pitch to win the bid. Keep up the good work.

[RobH]

daveypodmore, on Feb 11 2009, 01:07 PM, said:

OOh heck, are the London doubters speachless.

Sounds like we are gonna an olympic park that is beautiful, functional and full of atmosphere during time. And a legacy that not only serves the community but enhances a very run down part of London whilst still retaining much of the landscaped park, leaving a miriad of much needed facilities. They are delivering everything that they set out in their pitch to win the bid. Keep up the good work.

The first part is certainly true and we're well on our way to delivering that. These Games will be brilliant, I have absolutely no worries on that front.

The second part remains to be seen. I still think we need to walk before we can run too fast. Make sure the stadium legacy works, the houses are sold, the media centre is occupied, and the park is maintained and well used. The extra developments in the years ahead are more likely to come to fruition if the existing residents and businesses are happy and thriving.

That said, this is a good development and a positive step. Boris seems to be a bit more on message rather than going off doing his own thing and all bodies now seem to be pulling in the same direction, which is great.

[daveypodmore]

I think this is the model that future games will try and emulate now the era of the excessive games is over. Im always a glass is half full type person though he he.

[jim jones]

Rob, on Feb 11 2009, 02:13 PM, said:

The first part is certainly true and we're well on our way to delivering that. These Games will be brilliant, I have absolutely no worries on that front.

The second part remains to be seen. I still think we need to walk before we can run too fast. Make sure the stadium legacy works, the houses are sold, the media centre is occupied, and the park is maintained and well used. The extra developments in the years ahead are more likely to come to fruition if the existing residents and businesses are happy and thriving.

That said, this is a good development and a positive step. Boris seems to be a bit more on message rather than going off doing his own thing and all bodies now seem to be pulling in the same direction, which is great.

Well lets Face it , What else can you really do with the Stadium and the Park ? It is not suitable for Premiership tenants and very little can be done Post the Games to make it into a Rectangle Stadium which Soccer and Rugby Desire.

I think this is the best the City and Country could do at this advanced stage . At least there is some redeeming qualities to what will be the most costly school in the history of Mankind.


Not to be critical but the footprint of the stadium allows for nothing else but athletics and that is a money loser. You are looking at 10 million a year to maintain a stadium for Joggers basically .

Well at least London 2012 keeps their promise to the IAAF . I would think performing arts should be something that should also be explored . Stratford isn't that the Home of Shakespeare? What about an Annual great festival in the stadium bowl celebrating the UKs great historical contribution to arts in culture globally ? Some type of Shed Stage for part of the Bowl would certainly be good for Concerts and Theatre Festivals

Just some thoughts

Jim jones

[Rafa]

i dont even think its about being excessive or not. its really just about being smart.