In order to progress the plans for redeveloping the Lower Lea Valley, the LDA has been
negotiating relocation options with residents and businesses currently located in the area.
The LDA argued that the Olympic Games will bring much needed regeneration to the
area, which would “far outweigh the effect upon those who own property or live in the
area.”113 However these negotiations have taken place under the shadow of a compulsory
purchase order (CPO). The LDA issued a CPO for the land to ensure its acquisition
from those with whom it could not strike a deal. This CPO issued for the Olympics site
is said to be the largest ever compulsory land acquisition programme in England.114 Once
the LDA acquires the land, it will transfer it to the ODA, the official body charged with
constructing Olympic venues and infrastructure.115
The main area affected by the CPO is Clay’s Lane, where 430 residents of the Clay’s
Lane Housing Cooperative were issued with orders to leave by July 2007, as well as 15
families residing at an adjacent Romani Gypsy and Travellers site, who must leave by July
or August 2007.116 The second key residential area affected by the CPO is a Gypsy and
Travellers site at Waterden Crescent, in which 20 Irish Traveller families reside. They
have been given several alternatives to their present site. The proposals involve splitting
the community into four smaller sites.117 In addition, over 400 students from the
University of East London were evicted in July 2005.
Over the course of the negotiations for the Lea Valley area and the related CPOs,
businesses employing nearly 15,000 workers in total were also reportedly forced to
move.118 In Stratford, 300 businesses were evicted in order to use the land on which they
operated for the Olympic Park.119 In order to clear the path for the construction of the
Olympic Stadium, companies employing over 5,000 staff were reportedly moved out of
their establishments in the Marshgate Lane area.120 Many of these businesses benefited
from their proximity to central London, and the relocation sites offered were over 50
miles away from where they were originally located.121 The businesses argued that the
LDA’s valuation of their land was made before news of the bid had inflated property
prices in the area,122 and that the LDA’s proposed alternative sites would leave many of
the businesses at a competitive disadvantage.123
Romans used planet names.. Eta you know that
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