Ministers unveil future for Olympic site

While the Olympics are still more than three years away, images have already been released of the proposed landscape of the area in 2040.

Public consultation began on Tuesday, with offerings including a secondary school and sports academy in the Olympic Stadium and a new arts academy and primary school in the Olympic Village.

The legacy masterplan – which was drawn up by the five host boroughs – promises 10,000 new homes, seven new schools, an Olympic university, a National Skills Academy for Sports and Leisure and a centre for the English Institute for Sport.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson, communities secretary Hazel Blears, Olympics minister Tessa Jowell and Mayor of Newham Sir Robin Wales launched the plan at Stratford’s Town Hall.

Hazel Blears said: “Around 20 years ago, the Greenwich Peninsula was contaminated industrial land. It’s now the world’s most successful entertainment venue.

“Canary Wharf was just a run-down dock 30 years ago, and now it’s one of the world’s biggest financial centres. This is the next step.�

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “These improvements will be a fantastic catalyst for radical change, and will generate improvements in the communities around east London.�

The £547million Olympic Stadium will be reduced from 80,000 to 27,000 capacity after the games. It will largely operate as an athletics stadium, despite early hopes it would host a Premier League football club. But the Mayor has pledged to consider any “sensible, coherent offer� from a sporting club.

Boris said: “In the end there were insuperable obstacles to do with the shape of the stadium. It would have cost far more to create a stadium suitable for a Premier League football club, even if there had been a club willing to come to the table.�

Tessa Jowell promised “unprecedented transparency� over changes in the cost of the games, which boast a £9.3billion budget.

She said: “We’ve got to make sure the developments go ahead, but that we get value for money. I don’t think anyone can deny that we’re seeing different economic circumstances than two years ago. But we will get through it, and there will be an upturn.

“We mustn’t lower our aspirations. We mustn’t lower our standards. We want to build a place of quality.�

Sir Robin Wales, who also serves as the chairman of the five boroughs, said: “For a millennium, London has dumped its waste out here.

“It’s time to change that. The objective is to bring the standard of the East End up to the national average.�