No White Elephants for 2012 Project
Opening comments from Jack Lemley CBE, Chairman, The Olympic Delivery Authority at the morning session of IBP Question Time in London last Thursday.
As Chairman of the Authority tasked with delivering the venues and infrastructure for the 2012 Games, I am excited by the physical transformation that will take place in East London over the next few years. But I am also acutely aware of the opportunity for the Games to contribute to the economic and social renaissance of the parts of the East End that suffer from unacceptable levels of deprivation.
If we are to leave a lasting legacy in East London we must plan for it. Let me assure you now that both David Higgins and I have made sure that detailed planning is in the DNA of this Authority. Effective planning now its worth its weight in gold in the future. We must make sure we avoid having to change track mid-project that will only place unnecessary pressures on the delivery timetable and the costs of the Games. So good planning is central to the whole process and we have already made important decisions to improve the delivery of the Games and the legacy of the venues.
When I took up my position as Chairman of the ODA, I wanted to create a simple, yet effective, description of the timetable for delivery. I am now on record as describing this project as – in essence – a 2-4-1 delivery strategy. Two years to acquire the land and planning permissions, start to clean it up and do the planning, design and procurement, four years for construction allowing test events to be staged from one year before the Games.
We are now over halfway through the first part of that equation and we have taken significant decisions that not only improve the programme for delivering the facilities we are tasked to do, but also enhance the legacy plans post 2012.
Let me give you an example. We have undertaken a thorough review of the plans for the Olympic Park. We have made sure the Masterplan meets a selection of key tests, one of which is legacy usage.
Let me be clear in my assertion that we want a culture of no “white elephants” in this project – venues that are either unused or dislocated from the local community. I am confident that the planning up to this stage has done much to address this, and we will continue to plan the details of the park with legacy at the forefront. By committing ourselves to planning Games and legacy together, we maximise the different opportunities open for the post-Games use of the facilities.
The London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympics Games will play an important role in a wider regeneration legacy. Even though the ODA’s lifespan is short, we can be part of a much wider legacy proposition. We will play a key role in the physical change of the region, but we also have the opportunity to contribute to improvement in the social capital of the area.
Expectations of what the 2012 Games will deliver are high. While the project is still in its early days, we are convinced that partnership working will enable us to deliver a project that is remembered for its sustainable legacy as much as for the fantastic experience of the Games themselves.
Delivering the venues and infrastructure is our job, but delivering the regeneration legacy is our ultimate aim.
Opening comments from Jack Lemley CBE, Chairman, The Olympic Delivery Authority at the morning session of IBP Question Time in London last Thursday.
As Chairman of the Authority tasked with delivering the venues and infrastructure for the 2012 Games, I am excited by the physical transformation that will take place in East London over the next few years. But I am also acutely aware of the opportunity for the Games to contribute to the economic and social renaissance of the parts of the East End that suffer from unacceptable levels of deprivation.
If we are to leave a lasting legacy in East London we must plan for it. Let me assure you now that both David Higgins and I have made sure that detailed planning is in the DNA of this Authority. Effective planning now its worth its weight in gold in the future. We must make sure we avoid having to change track mid-project that will only place unnecessary pressures on the delivery timetable and the costs of the Games. So good planning is central to the whole process and we have already made important decisions to improve the delivery of the Games and the legacy of the venues.
When I took up my position as Chairman of the ODA, I wanted to create a simple, yet effective, description of the timetable for delivery. I am now on record as describing this project as – in essence – a 2-4-1 delivery strategy. Two years to acquire the land and planning permissions, start to clean it up and do the planning, design and procurement, four years for construction allowing test events to be staged from one year before the Games.
We are now over halfway through the first part of that equation and we have taken significant decisions that not only improve the programme for delivering the facilities we are tasked to do, but also enhance the legacy plans post 2012.
Let me give you an example. We have undertaken a thorough review of the plans for the Olympic Park. We have made sure the Masterplan meets a selection of key tests, one of which is legacy usage.
Let me be clear in my assertion that we want a culture of no “white elephants” in this project – venues that are either unused or dislocated from the local community. I am confident that the planning up to this stage has done much to address this, and we will continue to plan the details of the park with legacy at the forefront. By committing ourselves to planning Games and legacy together, we maximise the different opportunities open for the post-Games use of the facilities.
The London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympics Games will play an important role in a wider regeneration legacy. Even though the ODA’s lifespan is short, we can be part of a much wider legacy proposition. We will play a key role in the physical change of the region, but we also have the opportunity to contribute to improvement in the social capital of the area.
Expectations of what the 2012 Games will deliver are high. While the project is still in its early days, we are convinced that partnership working will enable us to deliver a project that is remembered for its sustainable legacy as much as for the fantastic experience of the Games themselves.
Delivering the venues and infrastructure is our job, but delivering the regeneration legacy is our ultimate aim.