Olympic Legacy

Lower Lea Valley Transformation

The Lower Lea Valley is the largest remaining regeneration opportunity in inner London. It runs north-south from Stratford to Canary Wharf and is situated just three miles from Central London, taking in parts of the London boroughs of Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Newham and Waltham Forest.

It is well served by bus rail and tube connections. In total, the Lower Lea Valley covers an area of the around 1,500 acres.

The area is characterised by a large area of derelict industrial land as well as poor housing. Much of the land is fragmented and divided by waterways, overhead pylons, roads, the London Underground Network and heavy rail lines.

It is home to one of the most deprived communities in the UK and among the worst public health records. Unemployment is high, running at 35% on some estates, skills levels are low. The area has one of the highest levels of black, asian and ethnic minority populations in the capital.

Regeneration of the area is crucially important in tackling poverty, unemployment, lack of basic skills and poor health.

The 2012 Games will also bring many new opportunities for local people and businesses in terms of better grass-roots sports facilities, more housing, jobs, skills and better transport connections.

The 2012 Olympics will accelerate London's expansion eastwards to accommodate the expected population growth in the capital over the coming decades - a key priority for the Government, the Mayor of London and the London Development Agency (LDA).

A Legacy for London

The Olympic Games and Paralympic Games will leave behind great sporting facilities, including swimming pools, cycling facilities and new tennis courts. These will be open for all Londoners to enjoy, and could help to foster the Olympic champions of the future.

The Olympic Games will create thousands of new homes - 9,000 in the Olympic Park alone. Many of these will be affordable for local people.

New schools, family health services and other community facilities will also be built.

Permanent jobs will be created in diverse sectors such as tourism and hospitality; food and media - and the construction industry.

The Games will create the largest new park in London since Victorian times. This park will be as big as Hyde Park and would double the amount of green space currently in the Lower Lea Valley.

The Games will focus attention on London and draw visitors from around the globe. Sydney is still reaping the benefits from the rise in tourism - in 2001 Sydney benefited from £2.3 billion of tourism spend and the Games generated around £1.2 billion in new business benefits, including new sports infrastructure and service contracts.

Volunteering opportunities will help to develop skills for Londoners - a projected 70,000 volunteers would be needed to deliver the Games in London.