Olympic countdown for Boris

By Rob Virtue on September 4, 2008 1:00 PM |

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THE COUNTDOWN to the 2012 Olympics is well and truly underway but what will it mean to London?

Mayor Boris Johnson was at Stratford this week to show off some of the work being done.

A huge retail, entertainment and leisure complex is being built in the Olympic town.

Developed by Westfield, Stratford City will be completed over year before the Games begin in London.

Mr Johnson, said: "Westfield's Stratford City project is setting the pace for the transformation of east London.

"It is one of the most important legacies of the 2012 Olympics. It will create 18,000 jobs and as a result of Westfield's investment, have some of the most modern additions to London's public transport infrastructure."

The retail scheme is next to the site of the 2012 Olympics. It will cost £1.45billion and is due to open in less than three years.

It includes a leisure and entertainment complex and will be for the use of about 3.9million Londoners in east London.

Chief executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority, David Higgins, said: "There is real progress being made to deliver the new facilities needed for the 2012 Games and the long-term regeneration of east London.

"The progress Westfield has made to the Stratford City development is very impressive and together with the key venues and infrastructure beginning to take shape on the Olympic Park, we are starting to see a lasting legacy for east London literally rising out of the ground."