Redevelopment of the Olympic site risks marginalising some of Britain's most deprived communities unless Olympics chiefs focus on boosting opportunities for local people warned the London Assembly.

The Assembly published a new report on the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC), the organisation due to take ownership of the Stratford site after the Games.

In its report, Legacy Limited?, the Economic Development, Culture, Sport and Tourism Committee assesses the challenges facing those responsible for delivering the promised improvements in housing, skills and sporting opportunities.


The Games will deliver a new urban park, state-of-the-art sports facilities, thousands of new homes and numerous transport improvements, but the report expresses concern that much of it may not benefit local people. Instead the majority of the opportunities may go to wealthy outsiders taking over the Stratford site.

Committee Chair Dee Doocey said: "Time is running out and we are in real danger of missing a historic opportunity to transform some of Britain’s most deprived communities.

"A strong legacy of skills, housing, employment and sports participation is the only way to stop the Olympic Park becoming an island of prosperity, cut off from the surrounding community.

"East London deserves a lasting legacy from the Games and I hope the Mayor and OPLC act on these recommendations."

The report concludes that the OPLC needs to focus on skills, employment, sports participation and housing to provide long-term benefits to the local community.

(CD/GK)