Strong foundations laid for the Olympic Stadium

In May this year, construction started on the site three months earlier than originally planned and was witnessed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who had an opportunity to meet workers on site.

Over 4,000 reinforced concrete columns need to be installed into the ground, up to 20 metres deep, to ensure the foundations have a strong base to support the Stadium structure. Over 2,100 of these have already been installed.

Three our of the eight construction tower cranes, each between 48 and 60 metres high, have also been constructed in the Stadium ‘bowl’, making them the tallest visible landmark across the Olympic Park construction site at the present time. These have been erected ready for the start of the concrete and steel work which will starts next week.

ODA Chief Executive David Higgins said: 'Impressive progress is being made on the Olympic Stadium thanks to the hard work of Team Stadium, the design and construction team on site. Over the coming months, people will be able to see this innovative and sustainable Stadium begin to rise out of the ground.

'This project has had a fast start out of the blocks but we are never complacent about the hard work and many challenges that lie ahead of us.'

Notes to editors:

Olympic Stadium facts & figures:

• Over 1,000 construction workers will be based on the Stadium site 
• 33 buildings on the Olympic Stadium site have been demolished 
• Over 800,000 tonnes of soil has been taken away to help create the construction platform for the Stadium - enough to fill the Royal Albert Hall nine times over 
• The Stadium is highly sustainable, containing around 10,000 tonnes of steel - the lightest Olympic Stadium to date 
• The total Stadium island site covers an area of 40 acres – five times the size of the Houses of Parliament 
• The Stadium is 53m high - taller than Nelson’s Column (50m) 
• The Stadium roof covers an area of 24,500 sq metres - the equivalent to three and a half football pitches.
  
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For further information please contact the Olympic Delivery Authority Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 700.

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