April 2012 Archives

It is 100 days to go until the Olympic Games and an important development has occurred in the biggest commercial property opportunity that the Olympic Park has to offer.

There are now just two runners left in the race to become the long term tenant of the 1m sq ft media and broadcast centre.

The Decathlon and Loughborough University-backed Oxylane Group has pulled up on the final bend and withdrawn from the race.

With final bids due in on Wednesday, the withdrawal leaves the UK Fashion Hub and iCITY to go head to head on the final straight.

It is understood however, that elements of the Oxylane bid may now look to team up with one of the two remaining bids.

Right from the start of the race to find a legacy tenant Loughborough University, for instance, has targeted the media centre for a 90,000 sq ft postgraduate sports research facility.

iCITY meanwhile announced this week that it has appointed a chief executive ahead of the deadline for bids next week.

Gavin Poole, former executive director for Westminster think tank The Centre for Social Justice has taken over the role of running the technology-backed bid for the media centre.

But that is not the only legacy news coming out of the Olympic Park this week.

The London Legacy Development Corporation, as it is now called, has announced it has received planning permission to fit the 376 ft ArcelorMittal Orbit with 250 colour spot lights.

The lights will beam up into the sky every night until midnight with 15 minute moving light shows held each evening and special effects used during major events at the park in the future.

The lights will be tested over the next two weeks between 8pm and 11pm.

West Ham United supporters have started a ballot to determine whether they want the club to move to the Olympic Stadium.

The BBC has reported that the group WHU's View is claiming that the Hammers do not want to consult with fans about a proposed move to the 2012 main stadium after the Olympics.

The group is hoping that their poll will help to influence the decision to move before it is potentially too late.

Over two home games at Upton Park, WHU's View will hand out 15,000 ballot papers.

West Ham has said it will carry out a ballot of its fan's opinions if it is chosen as the successful bidder on the 21 May.

But Peter Caton, of WHU's View, said: "If the club wins the bid and the keys are handed over, we don't believe that the club are then going to want to ask supporters because it'll be a fait accompli."

West Ham were initially awarded the stadium in a partnership with Newham council in October last year, but the deal fell through after complaints to the European Union that a £40m loan from Newham was tantamount to illegal state aid.

An interesting story has been sent my way by Estates Gazette legal reporter Jess Harrold.

Jess writes that a High Court Master today made a possession order that opens the way for the eviction of protesters camping out at the site of an Olympic basketball training facility.

Master Matthew Marsh issued the order with immediate effect to the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, clearing the way for it to take action to remove the encampment at the site in Waltham Forest, north London.

He made the order against "persons unknown" after being told that the protesters, who are opposed to the construction of the Olympic basketball training facility, had set up tents, collected wood and made fires in breach of park byelaws.

Master Marsh said: "On the face of it there have been breaches of byelaws and a number of criminal offences have taken place."

Yesterday, London 2012 Olympics bosses were granted a High Court injunction preventing the protesters from interfering with the construction works.

Two men representing the protesters said that they were taking action because the development had been pushed through without proper consultation and an environmental impact assessment.

However, the master refused their application for an adjournment so they could take legal advice.

The Master said he was satisfied that there were a large number of people and considerable number of tents on the land in what was clearly a "permanent occupation" in breach of park byelaws, and that when weighing the rights of the park authority against the right to protest, the balancing exercise "firmly" came down in favour of the Park Authority.

The new London Legacy Development Corporation officially took hold of the London 2012 legacy baton today.

The development corporation takes over the work of the Olympic Park Legacy Company as well as taking on regeneration responsibilities for a wider area in East London.

Planning powers for the Olympic Park and surrounding area will transfer from the Olympic Delivery Authority and LTGDC in October 2012.

The OPLC's staff have transferred over, as have staff and projects from the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation.

The members of the new 17-strong board have been announced. Baroness Margaret Ford remains as chair for now, although she has already announced her plan to step down later this year.

Andrew Altman keeps the role of chief executive that he held at the OPLC.

Over the course of 2012, the London Legacy Development Corporation's work will include:

• Announce plans for the opening of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

• Publish a sustainability strategy for the park

• Announce an anchor tenant for the press centre and broadcast centre

• Confirm the additional uses for the Olympic stadium

• Launch a bidding process for events and attractions on the park

• Appoint a developer for the first new neighbourhood - Chobham Manor

• Secure the planning application for five new park neighbourhoods

• Begin work on the post Games transformation phase of the park called 'Clear, Connect and Complete'