Greenwich clears barracks for Olympic shooting

Olympic archery is to take place at Lord's cricket ground.

Following the decision last night (Wednesday February 17) council leader Cllr Chris Roberts said: "This decision means we can now concentrate on working together with the ODA, London 2012 and the key stakeholders to make sure we deliver a spectacular event in 2012.

"We will ensure that all possible measures will be taken to minimise any disruption to residents during both the preparation works and Games-time and will keep local people fully-informed of what is planned for the site.

"The Games is anticipated to bring significant regenerative benefits to this part of Greenwich and we can now work together to deliver these for the people of Woolwich."

The barracks sits approximately 1km to the south west of Woolwich town centre, and is located with the Woolwich Common conservation area. Planning approval for the temporary works was granted on the condition that the site is returned to its former state after the games, with additional improvements including new trees, footpaths and cycle lanes. The playing fields will also be "reinstated to the same, or better, quality".

A test event is expected to be held in March or April 2012, with the Olympic events themselves taking place between July 28 and August 5 2012. The Paralympic events will follow from August 31 to September 5. The site will reportedly be restored and works completed by the end of that year.

Events will take place between 8am and 6pm on weekdays and 8am to 1pm on Saturdays. Woolwich is expected to attract 104,000 people during the course of the games, plunging a projected £8.2million into the local economy. A total of 100 jobs will be created during construction, with 750 required during the games.

Consultation took place after submission of the application last November, generating five objections on grounds of loss of trees, access disruption and congestion and lack of cost-effectiveness. The Greenwich Conservation Group are concerned about the "upheaval to the land" and feel the "choice of venue is wholly inappropriate".

The Charlton Society said that the 20 metre high safety fence to the north of the site "makes a nonsense of the fact that the building was the key iconic building on which the proposal was predicated". It added that the "legacy offer for this application is sketchy to the point of non-existence".

It said: "Legacy has been a major element of the entire Olympics project and this application seems to completely ignore the opportunities of the site."

A spokesman for the Olympic Delivery Authority confirmed that it was "now at the stage where we will move onto the more detailed phase of design".