RTPI submits Olympic Park as exemplar of British planning for BBC celebrations

The BBC is running a series of features, Celebrating Britain’s Best, to commemorate 50 years of The World At One.

It is celebrating Britain’s world class achievements. The RTPI has nominated London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as an internationally renowned example of best practice British planning.

The RTPI submitted the following statement to support its nomination.

In 2012 Britain’s planning prowess was once again on display on the international stage. London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park epitomises the capacity planning has to successfully deliver large scale world class projects. The use of compulsory purchase orders, long term legacy planning for the site and the design and layout of the (permanent and temporary) buildings contributed to the success of the games.

The 102 hectare site is the largest new urban park in the capital. It has venues for major concerts and sporting events as well as 11,000 new homes in five new neighbourhoods including new schools and health facilities for new communities. This will create 8,000 new jobs plus a 2,500-strong temporary construction workforce. There will be new infrastructure, including roads and a new high street. This shows the ability of positive planning to improve and change people’s lives for the good by creating sustainable communities.

Given the international significance of this planning work, the Royal Town Planning Institute in 2014 awarded a prestigious special president’s award to the Olympic Delivery Authority and London Legacy Development Corporation.

View the other British achievements already featured here.