Planning permission submitted for London 2012 Olympic Park Media Centre redevelopment

By Gary Anderson

November 14 - Planning permission for the redevelopment of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Media Centre has today been officially submitted to the London Legacy Development Corporation by iCITY which has also revealed a new set of refined designs by architects Hawkins/Brown.

iCITY, a joint venture between specialist real estate investment and advisory company Delancey and leading data centre operators Infinity SDC, was chosen by the Legacy Company in July 2012 to redevelop the Main Press and Broadcast Centres at the Olympic Park following the Games.

The new venture proposes to establish one of the largest international data centres in Europe by 2015, while also providing indoor and outdoor green spaces, including allotments, urban orchards and green roofs with insect hotels, providing facilities and spaces for workers and local residents to enjoy.

The central hub of the new development will be focussed around the main Main Press and Broadcast buildings used for the Olympic Games last year.

The 850,000 sq ft Main Broadcast Centre (MBC), which already has BT Sport as one of its main tenants, is set to welcome Loughborough University and the local Hackney Community College by 2015, seeing both institutions working closely together in a new venture and apprentices who are working through the Community College simultaneously fitting within the University system.

Architects Hawkins/Brown also propose to transform the east side of the MBC by constructing a 16 metre deep grid-like structure to provide a platform for individual, small-scale structures, housing start-ups and small local businesses, looking out onto the Olympic Park.

iCITY proposes to transform the Olympic Park Media Centre in east London into a creative and digital hub ©Hawkins/Brown

The Main Press Centre (MPC) is set to have its outer facade transformed by glass panels to let more light in and will also house creative and digital industry companies and start-ups.

"We are delighted that iCITY has come up with such an innovative design for the conversion of the former Press and Broadcast Centres," said Dennis Hone, chief executive of the Legacy Company.

"This world-class creative and digital hub will create thousands of jobs and training opportunities.

"Today's submission of the planning application is another landmark moment for Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, bringing us one step closer to delivering a fantastic legacy for East London."

The auditorium building, sitting between the MPC and MBC buildings, will be developed into a 1,000 seat venue and be used for events such as product launches, conferences and performances.

The designers propose to make the building standout from the two much bigger structures either side of it by making it more "colourful, dynamic and fun" and propose covering the outside facade with a "sponge-like" cladding.

Designers propose transforming the east side of the MBC to house small start-ups and local businesses while covering the auditorium building with a colourful sponge-like cladding ©Hawkins/Brown

Following planning approval early next year, iCITY expects to begin construction work on the former Centres by summer 2014 and claim the entire site will be fully operational by 2018.

It also claims it will create over 7,500 jobs, 5,300 of which will be directly on-site with a further, 200 in the local community through the impact of using local supply chains.

"The submission of our planning application is the culmination of a vast amount of work to develop a creative vision for over one million square foot of space," said Gavin Poole, iCITY's chief executive.

"Our vision to provide a new home for east London's flourishing and rapidly expanding creative and digital industries today takes a step closer to becoming a reality.

"As well as creating thousands of jobs and training opportunities, our plans will provide a new community destination for east London with new facilities for local residents and opportunities for local businesses.

"iCITY will attract the best talent, companies and investment from around the world.

"We now very much look forward to moving into the construction phase and delivering a lasting economic and social legacy from London 2012."

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