Aquatics Centre work surges ahead

In addition, nearly 10,000 tonnes of soil have been cleaned, ready to be reused on the site. Work is underway to widen the River Lea, which runs alongside the site, and to renew riverbanks to provide improved habitats for wildlife and better public access to the riverside.

The work keeps the ODA on track to clear the site ready for construction to start in summer 2008, one of the ODA’s ‘Milestones to Beijing’ set out earlier this year.

ODA Chief Executive David Higgins said: ‘We said that by Beijing 2008 the majority of the Olympic Park would be cleared and cleaned. On the site for the first ‘Big 4’ London 2012 venue we are surging forward towards this challenging milestone.

‘Next summer we will be able to start building the Aquatics Centre, which will be the gateway to the London 2012 Games and become an important base for elite British swimmers and a new swimming facility for local people in legacy.’

Read the full release.