Lend Lease has begun construction work on the Olympic Village in Stratford in east
The Olympic Delivery Authority and Lend Lease, the preferred development partner, said the work kept plans on track to deliver “first-class accommodation for athletes and officials during the London 2012 Games, and leave a lasting legacy of thousands of new homes in the heart of east
The village will provide 17,000 beds for athletes and officials during the Olympic Games and 7,500 in the Paralympic Games. After 2012, the apartments will be converted to up to 3,500 new homes.
Lend Lease said piling works were underway on the site to insert concrete columns up to 24m in length into the soil to reinforce the ground where the first blocks of the Olympic Village will sit. Work on the concrete substructure will start later in the summer.
The two parties said that discussions over the financial arrangements for the Olympic Village continued but that they expected to sign interim agreements “shortly”.
The initial construction works on the Olympic Village are being funded by the ODA ahead of the full financial arrangements being in place ahead of the main build later this year
David Higgins, ODA chief executive, said: “Given the challenging economic environment, we are in detailed discussions about the level of public investment in the Olympic Village.”
Lend Lease Europe chairman, Nigel Hugill, said: “We were all quietly very determined to have cranes operating well before the start of the forthcoming Games in
“More than fifteen of the brightest architectural practices from the
“As well as what could ultimately be up to 3,500 high quality homes, the designs include a major new health facility and a brand new school for 1,800 local 4-18 year olds. We are far from complacent but we are certainly content with delivery progress to date.”
