London 2012 to reduce Greenwich Park closure time

LOCOG announced new details to its plans for Greenwich Park in 2012 at the meeting. These include:

• A reduction in the time of closure of the Park to four weeks from 6 July-3 August 2012 (the original period was six to eight weeks).

• The Children’s Playground and the majority of the Flower Garden will remain open throughout this four-week period, apart from the day of the Cross Country event.

• There are no planned residential road closures.

• Circus Field in Blackheath will be used as an operational compound to avoid the need for large vehicle access the Park, enabling access from the A2 to the Park. This will cause less disruption and impact to the Park itself.

• LOCOG is discussing with The Royal Parks ways of upgrading the Children’s Playground and other parts of the Park as a legacy after the Games.

• It is also working with The Royal Parks on protective measures for the Park and with arboricultural and ecological experts on a Cross Country course which will not adversely affect any trees. No trees will have to be cut down.

LOCOG will continue to work closely with the Societies and other organisations about the detail of its plans and will undergo a formal consultation process in October/November prior to the submission of its planning application for work to be done on the Park in 2012.

'We believe that Greenwich Park will be a stunning venue in 2012 but we understand the concerns that local residents may have about usage of the Park during the Games,' said LOCOG Chief Executive Paul Deighton. 'We are grateful to the Greenwich Societies for organising the meeting and giving us a chance to listen to their concerns and explain our plans in more detail. This is an ongoing process of dialogue; we want to work with local residents so we can address concerns and make the Games a fantastic experience for everyone.'

Further details will be posted on london2012.com/greenwichparkconsultation