By Sir Peter Hendy, CBE, 

Chair, London Legacy Development Corporation

Anniversaries prompt us to reflect, and the 10th anniversary of the London 2012 Games is no different. 

For many, 2012 will evoke memories of incredible events and wonderful sporting moments. For some, it will be about how east London has changed, and for others the focus will be on whether the promises made before the Games have been honoured.

Much of this will be shared in the media and online in the coming weeks by journalists, commentators and interested members of the public.

Here are my reflections.

2012 was always about much more than sporting success. I was Commissioner of Transport for London at the beginning of the project, leading the delivery of the first ever truly public transport Games. And I’m ending those memories as chair of LLDC, helping to deliver the long-term vision for the Park and east London.

The Games themselves were brilliant, but they were only the backdrop to a massive feat of urban regeneration. 

The changes that can be seen all around Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park have been made possible because of brave and decisive political decisions at local, London and national level. The sustained cross-party support and collaboration between the public and private sectors has transformed a shockingly neglected inner city area into a new piece of London, with a credible record already and much more potential in the future to deliver for local people.

Tens of thousands of homes were promised – many of them to be affordable. There are already 13,000 new homes in the area with 20,000 more to be built by 2036. In the entire area more than 30 per cent will be affordable housing with permissions on our own land since 2016 providing 50 per cent affordable.

The jobs created by the construction of, and in, the Olympic Park are being replaced by those established permanently to bring growth to this new part of the city. The commitment to improve employment for local people is being kept. Our Good Growth Hub offers career opportunities, training and skills to 18 to 30 year-old east Londoners and diverse, new talent to local businesses. Build East, a collaboration with TfL, makes sure that traditional construction skills are complemented by training, to meet the expectations for digital skills on building sites.

Back in 2012, the Park was an event space. Since then it has changed again to make it on a more human rather than Olympic scale. The five permanent sporting venues are amazingly well used  by both local people and for elite competitions, driving income for London and the nation’s economy (the World Athletics Championships delivered £107m of economic benefit alone in 2017). There is an amazing new business district at Here East, the former press and broadcast centre, home to tech start-ups, innovation centres and leading universities. East Bank, the new culture and education district, will start to open from this September with UCL opening the doors to the first of its buildings. UAL’s London College of Fashion, Sadler’s Wells, BBC music and the V&A will follow in the coming years. 

The potential from this glorious mixture of cultural, creative, tech and educational bodies is simply breathtaking. 

And let’s not forget the free to enter Park itself – used by millions every year and a glorious open space especially during the Covid lockdowns.

Would all of this have happened without the Olympics in 2012? Possibly some of it. Would it have happened so quickly? Definitely not.

Would Westfield Stratford City have opened its doors in 2011 without the prospect of the London Olympics? No. Would the flats to house the athletes and officials that now form a wonderful neighbourhood with nearly 40% affordable housing at East Village have been built? Highly unlikely.

Are there things that could have been done differently or better? Yes, but let’s not lose sight of what is taking place in east London. There is so much more to be done and so much more to be delivered. I am proud to say that the legacy of 2012 is the best of any Games ever – host cities and other regeneration projects from around the world visit us because it is a place that is delivering.

And, if there is one thing that we should remember from 2012, it is that there was a promise to improve the lives of local people. We are keeping that promise and we are looking to the future as much as we look back with fondness to the 2012 Games.