Where will the work be?

The 2012 Olympic Games present a massive opportunity for London as billions of pounds are spent on preparation – not only of stadia and arenas but infrastructure.

Estimates of 150,000 new jobs being created have been made. Many of these will be in the construction industry and, as a result of the necessity for security throughout, the games will present a potential buoyant time for the security industry.

The knock-on process of providing everything from CCTV surveillance of the Games themselves to providing alarms for the new residential properties should ensure all sizes of security company can compete for contracts.

Throughout the country

It's not only London that will benefit. Although the major project will be the new 80,000-seat Olympic Stadium in east London, other venues where permanent and temporary work will be needed are spread throughout the country.

The plans were amended in June 2006 to include a central location for corporate sponsors which organisers say will help raise sponsorship revenue. A new location for the media centre would also speed up security checks for visiting members of the media by 30 minutes. Other changes proposed were relocation of the volleyball from the Olympic park to Earls Court, provision of a holding area for athletes at the ceremonies and relocating the cycling events.

What could you be competing for?

Much security work will be as a result of electrical and mechanical sub-contracts nearer to the Games and announcements shouldn’t be expected for a few years (security contract wins for Beijing 2008 are still being announced). But with so much construction going on there will be many opportunities from now until 2012 and it is an advantage to know well in advance what sorts of projects you may be competing for.

Security businesses hoping to compete for contracts should make sure they register with the websites on which notices will be announced (see previous feature).

Construction UK has revised (January 2006) its special publication Construction Projects of the 2012 London Olympics.

The publication gives an overview of the work that must take place before London proudly hosts the Games.

Here we give some of the essential information on construction projects as featured in the 22-page booklet.

To get the full details of projects, the guide is published by Construct UK Ltd and priced £10 (+ p&P). See addresses at the end of this article.

Says the guide: "The project will involve development of an 80,000 seat Olympic Stadium, an Aquatics Centre, four Multi-Sports Arenas, a Velopark, a Hockey Centre plus numerous training, catering and broadcasting and security facilities.

"An Olympic village comprising approximately 4,000 accommodation units will be built to house 17,000 athletes and officials from more than 200 nations.

"The long term effects are wide ranging and, directly or indirectly, involve property, redevelopment and construction activity, sustainability, regeneration and infrastructure."

Who is responsible for work?

Central to the proposals is the regeneration of the currently industrial wasteland of the Lea Valley in East London. The 500 acre Olympic Park will transform it into a model urban showpiece with new businesses attracted and thousands of jobs created. After the Games there will be reconfiguration of the site to provide housing, leisure retail and industrial facilities – all needing security. The LDA, along with leading construction industry consultants, originally secured the planning permission from Newham, Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest councils.

Many existing businesses in the Lea Valley will have to be relocated to make way for the development.

The big one

The main focus will be on the Olympic Park to be built at Stratford, east London. The park will contain The Olympic Stadium, The Acquatics Centre, The Hockey Centre, The Velopark with Velodrome and BMX Circuit, four Multi-Sports Arenas, 17,000 bed accommodation and a broadcast and press centre.

Preparation workon the park has already begun. Almost all major projects including main venues, ancillary buildings and infrastructure are now up for grabs and competitions for designs and tenders for construction will be announced from now on.

Four-stage development plan

Development will consist of four main stages:

1. Pre Olympic Construction Phase: Between now and the completion of the facilities. This is the time when most construction work will be completed.

2. Olympic Games Phase: The year leading up to the closing of The Paralympic Games September 2012.

3. Legacy Construction Phase: From September 2012 when the temporary facilities are removed and permanent works are configured.

4. Post Olympic Legacy Phase: Covering works after and not directly linked to Games and expecting to be completed by 2020.

Taking the strain

An estimated £16billion will be spent upgrading London's transport system including extending the Docklands Light Railway and the refurbishment of all London Undergound stations. Stratford International station will serve the park, allowing direct access from more than 300 UK stations.

A new city arises

The massive Stratford City Re-Development project, planned regardless of the Olympic bid decision, will now include the Olympic Village. Centred around the transport infrastructure, it will take place over 20 years and will include a town centre, office space and 4,850 homes. Another 4-5000 homes will be added from the Olympic Village redevelopment after the games.

Chance to compete

At various stages security companies will want to compete for tenders for the multitude of projects.

Notices of tenders and design competitions will in the initial phases be published in the Official Journal of the European Union, on the websites as previously mentioned and in other press sources.

Major Olympic projects

In the main phase construction tenders will be invited from a shortlist of contractors and evaluated. The objectives will be to ensure that high standards of quality are met, that the most economically advantageous tenders are secured and that fairness, transparency and sustainability are applied.

Construction Projects of the 2012 London Olympics includes a list of major and minor projects. In addition to those listed in the guide, there will be hundreds of thousands of sq metres of new construction devoted to catering, retail office, front and back of house facilities, training and warm up. Some will be deconstructed after the Games and others used as local facilities.

Here is a selection of the major projects listed in the publication :

Permanent venues to be built

• Aquatics Centre (swimming diving, synchronised swimming, water polo, modern pentathalon swimming). Location: Olympic Park. Approximate cost £75m.
• International Broadcast Centre/Main Press Centre. Location: Olympic Park. Approximate cost £120m.
• Multi Sport Stadium (Handball arena). Location: Olympic Park. Approximate cost £30m.
• Olympic Stadium (Athletics). Location: Olympic Park. Approximate cost £275m.
• Olympic Village. Location: Olympic Village. Approximate cost £550m.
• Velopark. Cycling Track covered arena and BMX outdoor circuit. Location Olympic Park North. Cycling track approximate cost £30m. BMX circuit approximate cost £12m.

• Greenwich Arena (Badminton, Rhythmic Gymnastics) Location Greenwich, South East London. Start Feb 2010, completion Apr 2012. Approximate cost £14m.
• Multi-Sports Stadium. Location: Olympic Park . Start Feb 2010, completion Apr 2012. Approximate cost £75m.
• Royal Artillery Barracks (Shooting). Location: Woolwich, South east London. Start Feb 2012, completion Apr 2012. Approximate cost £19m.

The guide also lists many temporary works required at existing venues throughout the country.

It includes work at The Dome, ExCel, Greenwich Park, Hampden Park, Horse Guards Parade, Hyde Park, Lords Cricket Ground, Millennium Stadium, Old Trafford, Regents Park, St James's Park, Villa Park, Wealde Country Park, Wembley Stadium and Wimbledon All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.

After the Games, the ODA will be responsible for a new programme of construction to re-develop and transform the ventures to their long term use. For instance the Aquatics Centre will continue as a major event venue with a fitness centre.

The International Broadcast and Main Press Centre will be used for business and workshops including a film studio with production facilities, offices and residential areas.

Multi-purpose future

The Olympic Stadium will become a multi-purpose sports and entertainment venue.

Many of the public areas in the Olympic Village will be deconstructed but the polyclinic will probably become an educational establishment. The accommodation for the athletes and officials will be reconfigured to provide 4,000 housing units – increasing to 9,000 with the Stratford City re-development.

As in Athens after the 2004 Olympics (see features pages 49 and 53), the 2012 Games will leave a positive development legacy for east London and a security infrastructure for the city that will, undoubtedly be amongst the best, if not the best in the world.