REVAMPED plans for the 2012 International media centre have been given the green light by the Olympics organisers. But planners had to bite the bullet and modify the design after the original proposals led to criticism by Hackney Council, the local planning authority

By Mike Brooke

REVAMPED plans for the 2012 International media centre have been given the green light by the Olympics organisers.

But planners had to bite the bullet and modify the design after the original proposals led to criticism by Hackney Council, the local planning authority.

Refinements resulting from public concerns now include smaller sections of screening over the gantry running alongside the complex planned at Hackney Wick, to break up the scale of the building visually.

A media transport area with passenger drop-off for coaches, car parking and security screening during the Games is also being halved in size on the remodelled plans.

MORE FLEXIBLE

Mayor of Hackney Jules Pipe said in a statement yesterday: "Improvements have been made to the design which enables the building to be more flexible for its use after the Games.

"We must now make sure the 'jobs legacy' after 2012 is achieved, which is vital to Hackney and East London."

The centre will be used by 20,000 broadcasters, photographers and journalists communicating the London 2012 Games to an audience of four billion worldwide.

Its 'legacy' for East London afterwards means 900,000sq ft of business space with the potential to generate thousands of jobs.

CONCRETE

Work on the foundations is already underway after a previous planning agreement, with 2,200 concrete piles already sunk up to 75ft into the ground.

Construction begins in the coming weeks on the 60ft high steel frame of the huge broadcast studio building, 800ft long by 300ft wide-big enough to house five jumbo jets.

Some 4,500 tonnes of steel are being used as the main frame with 75ft-long girders.

The broadcast centre includes a temporary gantry along the building for technical equipment. The press centre next to it has four storeys of offices by the River Lea Navigation (pictured), for journalists and photographers during the Games.