ODA experts solve a knotty problem

The invasive and resilient plant affects about two per cent of the East London site, in the area where the Velopark and Aquatics Centre will be built.

It must be cleared before building work takes place, or else it might crack through concrete and overpower other plants.

After treatment with herbicides over the last year, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has now sent in experts to start cutting the dead knotweed canes and removing the root system.

ODA Chief Executive David Higgins said: "Cleaning up the Olympic Park site is a challenging job and we're starting with one of the toughest plants in the world.

"Our thorough clean-up programme will create one of the biggest new urban parks in Europe in the last 150 years, fit for new and existing communities."

The ODA has also today invited landscape companies to find out about plans for landscaping the Olympic Park at a special industry day at Kew Gardens.

Read the full media release about knotweed
Read the full media release about the industry day

29 March 2007