Stratford North Bridges and Athletes Village
The London 2012 Olympic Park development sits on a site known as Lower Lea Valley. In 2007, the site became part of the 2007 Thames Gateway plan which is the UK’s largest economic regeneration programme. It stretches for 70km east from inner east London on both sides of the River Thames and the Thames Estuary.
The site of the Athletes Village for the 2012 Olympic Games is situated to the north east of the Olympic Park, which is bordered and bisected by operational railway lines. Construction of the village started in May 2008. Prior to the commencement of construction, major changes were required to Network Rail operational infrastructure to maximise land use by way of building a raft over a section of the operational railway.
Stratford North Bridges and Athletes Village
The main scope of the work was the protection of Network Rail’s assets and ensuring that all works were carried out safely and with minimal impact on the railway operations.
The main elements of construction were:
- enclosure/rafting over of 360m of the High Meads Loop Lines
- two major road bridges over operational railway lines including one over Network Rail and HS1 routes
- cycle and pedestrian bridge over Network Rail and HS1 routes
- major under track service routes for utilities and communications
- 2km of 9m high retaining walls with parapets and capping beam/fence topping along Network Rail boundaries with Athletes Village
- high-rise Athletes Village accommodation blocks and Poly Clinic on 9 plots adjacent to the railway
- planning of a series of possessions and a six month line closure
- planning and implementing key diversionary routes during the six month line closure.
Stratford North Bridges and Athletes Village
The main objective of this project was to provide:
- management of the works to minimise impact on the operational railway
- approvals of designs and working methods in accordance with rigid Olympic Delivery Authority programme
- approval and acceptance of completed works over, under and adjacent to the railway
- Network Rail lead and achieved the agreement of the Train Operators to the extensive works by engaging with stakeholders early in the project to minimise the impact on train services through pre-planning and optimising of possessions for the construction activities
- land exchange negotiations.
Stratford North Bridges and Athletes Village
Client: Olympic Delivery Authority
Location: Stratford, London, UK
Start date: 2008
End date: 2012
Duration: 38 months
Contract value: £2.4m
Services provided: Project development and feasibility, project and programme management, asset protection