Olympic contractors are pleading with the organisers to stop meddling with the design and let them get on with construction, according to David Higgins, chief executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority.
In terms of the Olympic Village, Higgins admits that for its private partner Lend Lease second guessing the housing market four years out is proving impossible.
”There is very little selling in the area, very little opportunity to gain market evidence.”
Higgins added that Lend Lease was still committed to putting equity into the village “but not into a project where they lose money”.
With regards to the media centre Higgins said the ODA was “trawling the market” to see where the media centre could be housed. Once place being explored was Stratford City, which could save £200m.
Higgins said a substantial part of the centre will still be in a venue earmarked on land on the Hackney side of the Olympic park.
Financial Times 22/11/08 page 7
