Olympic Budget Rise

THE OLYMPICS budget rose last week to £9.3bn, but it remains unclear what effect this will have on Hackney’s sporting venues, writes Chris Green




The revised budget, which comes to nearly four times the initial estimate, will see £5.3bn spent on construction costs. Mayor Ken Livingstone has pledged £300m, but this money will not be raised through increased council tax or transport costs.

Specifics of the money set aside for east London have still to be finalised, but it is hoped that the Hackney’s proximity to developments such as the 80,000-seater Olympic Stadium and indoor Velopark will increase sporting participation long after the Games has finished.

But there are worries that existing sporting venues will be cleared to allow redevelopment to take place. The decision to turn Hackney’s East Marsh, currently used for Sunday league football matches, into an Olympics car park has enraged local residents.

A spokesman for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport said: “We can assure anyone in eastern boroughs such as Hackney, Newham and Tower Hamlets who are worried about the effects of building work that their areas will benefit immeasurably from the Olympic Games under the current budget.”

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