The Olympic Park Legacy Company today invited companies to bid to develop the first neighbourhood on the future Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Chobham Manor will be a return to London’s traditional family neighbourhoods of terraced and mews houses, set within tree-lined avenues. Sitting between the Athletes Village and the VeloPark, the neighbourhood will help to address the local need for larger homes with 70% of the 800 homes offering much needed family housing.

In addition, 40% of the new homes will be houses with gardens – almost a quarter of the total number of new houses registered in London last year.

Families in the new homes and surrounding communities will be supported by a walk-in health centre, two nurseries, two multi-purpose community spaces, neighbourhood shops and the nearby school, Chobham Academy.

The Legacy Company and the Mayor of London are exploring the possibility of introducing a Community Land Trust pilot scheme of between 50 to 100 homes as part of the development.

Andrew Altman, Chief Executive of the Olympic Park Legacy Company, said:

“A year ago we set out our vision for the Park after the Games which responded to local demand for family homes. Today we are making it happen by seeking a developer who will create a family neighbourhood with traditional terraced houses and homes with gardens.

“We are more advanced than any previous host city in our plans to deliver a legacy of new homes, jobs and leisure opportunities. Chobham Manor will set the standard for high quality design as the first neighbourhood on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.”

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said:

“Chobham Manor has the potential to set new standards for family homes and, with the prospect of a community land trust at its heart, we have a unique opportunity for local people to shape the proposals.

“The Olympic Park is a spectacular setting from which this fledgling neighbourhood can emerge and we want to see developers with the passion required to make it happen.”

      
The Legacy Company’s housing strategy has taken into consideration the number of high-density developments already being planned for the surrounding area. It also responds to the views of local people who have put the need for family housing, quality open spaces and supporting amenities among their top priorities.

Chobham Manor will offer a mix of terraced housing, mews housing and duplex apartments within tree-lined avenues, intimate streets and open squares. It will sit adjacent to the Athletes Village, which will be converted into 2,800 flats after the 2012 Games.

Twenty-eight per cent of the homes will be affordable housing with local people targeted through boroughs and housing associations. A Community Land Trust could be part of the affordable housing offer giving a non-profit community-based organisation the opportunity to provide permanently affordable homes for long-term community benefit.

In total, the Legacy Company is aiming for up to 35% affordable housing across the Park – in line with the Mayor’s London Plan.

The new neighbourhood will be within walking distance of Stratford International Station and Stratford Regional Station, which offer nine rail lines.

It is one of five neighbourhoods to be developed on the future Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, with up to 8,000 new homes being built over the next 20 years, in addition to the Athletes Village. Last month, the Legacy Company submitted a planning application for the neighbourhoods, which were named during a public competition earlier this year

They are:

• Chobham Manor
• East Wick
• Sweetwater
• Marshgate Wharf; and
• Pudding Mill.

      
The Legacy Company aims to appoint a developer partner for Chobham Manor by the summer of 2012 in order for the first homes to be ready in 2014. The neighbourhood is expected to be completed over five years.

Developers have until 2nd December 2011 to register their interest by submitting a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire. The Legacy Company will then invite outline solutions from a long list of bidders, before shortlisting bidders for further dialogue.