London mayor Ken Livingstone has declared that the London Development Agency (LDA) had averted a “crisis” in the city’s preparations for the Olympics by issuing a CPO for the Stratford City site.
The CPO has yet to be published, but the LDA has confirmed it covers the 583 acres set aside for the Olympic Park in the Lower Lea Valley and includes land within the 180-acre Stratford City scheme
London & Continental Railways (LCR), part of the Stratford City Development Partnership consortium, has said that the CPO covers the entire Stratford City site.
The consortium plans to build 1,700 of the 3,600 homes within the athletes’ village as part of its mixed-use scheme.
In a press conference this morning, Livingstone said: “We gave advice to all the landholders in the area that the absolute deadline for making a CPO was last week and we would not budge from that.
“We could not hold off if people were taking too long to reach a settlement by agreement.”
LCR, which heads the consortium behind Stratford City, reacted angrily to the mayor’s comments.
A spokesman said: “Negotiations are continuing between LCR and the LDA. In the light of these negotiations we are surprised by the emotional language used by the mayor at his press conference today.”
However, the mayor and the LDA argue that the CPO is a “safeguard” to ensure the Olympic Park is developed in time for the Games in 2012 and that they remain committed to the Stratford City consortium’s proposals.
Livingstone added: “The CPO does not prevent us from making amendments right the way down to the public inquiry in May.
“We are still negotiating with landowners big and small in the area and we hope to get agreements with most before the public inquiry.”
Around 19% of the Olympic Village site is in private hands.
The Stratford City consortium – which comprises LCR, Multiplex, Stanhope, the Reuben Brothers and Westfield – is proposing to start work on its scheme in late 2006 or early 2007, with completion of the development scheduled for 2020.
It plans to transform the 180-acre site of the former Stratford Rail Lands into a mixed-use development, including 4,500 new homes, offices, hotels and shops.
References: EGi News 08/11/05
