Plans for thousands of new trees, parks, play areas and open spaces to support the new homes being delivered in the Athletes’ Village site were unveiled by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) today. The announcement comes as the first stage of landscaping work is underway in the Village site with the creation of an extensive wetlands park.
The Athletes’ Village, which lies adjacent to the Olympic Park, will accommodate athletes and officials during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. After the Games, the Village will deliver the legacy of 2,818 new homes for east London, of which 1,379 will be affordable, owned and managed by Triathlon Homes.
Together with the new homes being built, the landscaping and public realm project in the Village site will create 10 hectares of new parklands, wetlands, and open space featuring more than 2,000 new trees and over 100,000 wetland and wild flower plants. The open space areas between the new homes will be interspersed with play areas, cycling facilities, picnic and recreation spaces for use by the new and existing local communities. The new green open spaces in the Athletes’ Village are in addition to the extensive landscaping works already well underway in the Olympic Park site to create one of the largest new urban parks in the UK for over 100 years.
The first stage of landscaping works in the Village is underway with the creation of a 2½ hectare wetlands park that will feature a series of ponds and marshlands with pathways and seating areas throughout. Extensive planting and new trees will create a ‘green canopy’ through the area and help create new wildlife habitats.
Mayor of London Boris Johnson told The Landscaper, “I am determined that London becomes the world’s best big city and that means creating fabulous places to visit and relax. We are already investing millions greening our capital, from the planting of thousands of new trees to a major programme delivering new and improved public spaces. So it is great to see new green and open space emerging from this long neglected part of London and helping to transform the look and feel of this great city."