A golden Games to be followed by an incredible legacy' says Mayor

After delivering what are expected to be the best Olympic Games ever London is now set to deliver an incredible legacy that will set the benchmark for future host cities to follow the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said today.

Even before the world had witnessed London’s incredible opening ceremony, followed by impressive organisation of the competitions, it had hit all its milestones on the road to the 2012 Games on time and budget. It had also secured the future of six out of the eight venues on the Olympic Park - something that had never been achieved before – with serious and credible plans on the table for the Olympic Stadium and the Press and Broadcast Centre.

Speaking at his London 2012 Legacy Press Conference he was joined by some of the major investors inspired by the opportunities the Games and the regeneration of east London are providing. This includes ICity who outlined their proposals for transforming the Park’s media centre into a technology, design and research centre with the potential to generate more than 4,000 jobs. This will build on the 10,000 jobs being delivered by Westfield Stratford City whose owners brought forward their investment plans for east London by at least 15 years after seeing the potential of the area from staging the 2012 Games.

What was once an industrial wasteland is also seeing private money from around the world transforming it into a brand new district of thriving communities with 10,000 new homes planned over the next 20 years served by new schools and medical facilities. Developers Taylor Wimpey and London & Quadrant explained how it will be building nearly 800 new homes mainly for families as well as the brand new educational academy at Chobham Manor.

But the London 2012 legacy doesn’t end at the boundaries of the Olympic Park as the Mayor is continuing to promote the incredible investment opportunities across the capital including The Royal Docks, Silvertown Quays, Vauxhaull and Nine Elms as well as in riot affected Tottenham and Croydon where the Mayor is investing £70 million from his regeneration fund. All these areas are benefitting directly and indirectly from the £6.5 billion upgrade of the capital’s transport network as it prepared to stage the Games and with the arrival of Crossrail in 2017 London will be the best connected city for business in the world.

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: "The doom and gloom merchants who said our great city would implode as we tried to stage the greatest show on earth have been proved wrong. And they will be proved wrong again as we use the catalyst of the games to attract investment into the wealth of opportunities arising in London now and in the coming years. Put simply there is no other place on the planet where investors will see greater returns."

Daniel Moylan, Chairman of the London Legacy Development Corporation said:

"Central London is moving east. Bringing the Games to east London has accelerated investment in an already growing area and now the world’s attention is focused on this fantastic part of the city.

"The Legacy Corporation, working with partners, will harness the momentum of the London Games to create a new piece of the city, bringing together the best of east London and the Olympic spirit to provide jobs, homes, schools, sports and entertainment opportunities to local residents, Londoners and visitors."

Gavin Poole CEO iCity said: "We are really excited about the opportunity to transform the Press and Broadcast Centres into a world-class centre of technological innovation and enterprise. iCITY will create thousands of jobs, provide investment and highly advanced infrastructure for East London’s flourishing creative industries, and deliver a sustainable legacy for the local community, London and the UK."

Peter Redfern CEO Taylor Wimpey who were recently appointed to construct the first of five new neighbourhoods in the Olympic Park said: "We are delighted to have been chosen to deliver the first phase of new housing in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Taylor Wimpey are already one of the biggest contributors to new housing in London and our plans for Chobham Manor provide a unique opportunity to develop an exciting new residential quarter in one of the key growth areas of the UK.

Chobham Manor was designed with families in mind and will provide East London with much needed spacious homes designed by a team of signature architects. The exemplar design and sustainability credentials combined with the unprecedented transport connections and lifestyle amenities will provide a new residential address of the highest quality.

Speaking on behalf of Qatari Diar Delancey, appointed to transform the athletes village, Stuart Corbyn said "East Village will be a place for everybody to enjoy the best of city living; new homes will be joined by first class education, outstanding sports and leisure facilities, local shops, cafes and restaurants, and unrivalled connections to the rest of the capital. This will be one of the most exciting places to live in London.

East Village provides much needed homes, investment and jobs in East London, and reconfirms our long term commitment alongside Triathlon Homes to the local community, quality, partnership and sustainability."

Laura Murray Press Assistant Mayor of London's Press Office

T: 020 7983 4713 M: 07795 616 920

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