The ODA has made great strides this month, but there’s still been a few trips...

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) said work on the aquatics centre and main stadium may now begin two months ahead of schedule – the former starting next July, the latter brought forward from the middle of next summer to April.

There has been progress on the £200m media centre with Carillion emerging as favourite to build it, reportedly edging ahead of only remaining rival Bouygues/Development Securities/Hopkins.

Designs for the Olympic park’s centrepiece 80,000-seat stadium have been panned by many in the industry. In a poll, 49% of Building magazine’s readers renamed it the ‘vol-au-vent’, while architect Will Alsop rained expletives down on HOK Sport’s design. ODA chairman John Armitt remained optimistic, however: ‘We had the Sun, Mirror and Mail saying “this is great” and that’s good enough for me.’

Balfour Beatty has submitted a £250m tender as sole bidder for the aquatics centre – far greater than the government’s £75m price tag. A decision on whether to award the contract is pending.

Source

Construction Manager