Olympic Park demolition programme full steam ahead

The 12-storey former University of East London building has been demolished

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The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has claimed it is now almost halfway through the huge demolition programme to clear more than 220 buildings from the Olympic Park site in east London.

Yesterday saw the flattening of the tallest block left standing on the 250ha park plot – the 12-storey former University of East London building, which sat on the proposed route between the Olympic Village and Hopkins Architects' competition-winning Velo Park.

The ODA brought in one of the largest wrecking machines in Europe, a 50-tonne monster, to destroy the long-abandoned university building.

ODA chief executive David Higgins said: 'The demolition of these long-disused buildings which tower over the Olympic Park is a clear symbol of how the progress we are making on the Olympic Park will help to transform a neglected part of London for future generations.

'Clearing this area will free it up to become a gateway between world-class sporting facilities and vital Games-time and legacy accommodation in the north of the park.'

Elsewhere in the park, demolition work is also well under way on the former Frigoscandia factory, which covers a large part of the Olympic Village site.

And on the Velo Park site itself, earthworks have started to create the platform for construction work to kick off in earnest in 2009. However, a contractor has yet to be chosen to build the centre.