May 2012 Archives

The images below, designed by Erect Architecture, show how a community hub in the north of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park could look.

The London Legacy Development Corporation chose Erect to design the new community area.

A planning application has been submitted for the 4.3-acre area which includes a 6,000 sq ft community building including a café.

The outside space will include a community events lawn for picnics, outdoor teaching sessions or small scale events.

The North Park area of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is due to reopen to the public from July 2013 following major transformation work after the Games.

Andrew Altman, chief executive of the London Legacy Development Corporation, said: "The North Park will be one of the most beautiful green spaces in London with wetlands, clean waterways and beautiful parklands for everyone to enjoy.

"This hub will be at the heart of community life. We have designed an area that not only serves visitors, but encourages them to learn about the natural environment around them."

Erect Architecture director Barbara Kaucky said: "As local architects, the extraordinary Olympic project has been growing on our doorstep. It is a great feeling to be able to play a role in ensuring that the Games leave behind a sustainable legacy."

There has been a lot of questions raised for a while now about what effect the Olympics will have on day-to-day business in London.

It is therefore interesting to see that the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) has taken the view that it is going to keep well away from any areas that are directly involved in the Olympics for the next 100 days.

With London 2012 fast approaching, the Inspectorate has written to the host councils most affected by the Games to inform that it will not be scheduling any further appeal hearings in those areas until after the event.

This means no more hearings or inquiries in Tower Hamlets, Newham and Greenwich as well as Weymouth and Portland borough council outside of London.

Other councils with smaller exposure to the Games are also being encouraged to accept hearings after the Olympics - that includes Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, Merton, Windsor and Maidenhead.

Meanwhile, the London Legacy Development Corporation is seeking experts for an independent panel to help shape the future design of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Architects, environmentalists and development experts are being sought for a new Quality Review Panel.

The independent panel will advise on the design of the future Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park - the name for the Olympic site after the Games.

The panel will provide informal advice as well as formally review the planning applications for proposals within the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the wider Mayoral development area.

Around 12 to 15 panel members are being sought, from whom a chairperson and a vice-chairperson will be appointed.

Those who wish to apply must send a CV with two references and a covering letter outlining the contribution that they could make to LLDC@fortismere-associates.co.uk

More information can be found on the LLDC website at www.londonlegacy.co.uk

This is the man Boris Johnson is proposing to replace Baroness Margaret Ford as the chair of the 2012 Olympics legacy body - the London Legacy Development Corporation.

Daniel Moylan, councillor for Kensington and Chelsea, is set to take over as chairman after receiving the backing of Johnson this week.

This picture of Moylan, cigarette in hand, is taken from his own official website.

He is a long time ally of Johnson and was reportedly made one of the highest paid councillors in the UK when BoJo appointed him deputy chair of Transport for London in June 2011. His salary reportedly increased from £55,000 to £132,000 at this time.

From a property perspective, Moylan is a non-executive director of the £600m Glanmore Property Fund, which was set up in April 1997, and includes 49 assets spread across the UK covering warehousing, offices, leisure and retail.