Site Visit: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and London Stadium

16 May

Written By Cape Town 2040 Office

We were fortunate, while in London, to visit the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London Stadium and the wider Stratford area to witness the transformation sparked by the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Spanning over 560 acres, the Park is now home to a range of world-class sporting venues—from the iconic Olympic Stadium and Zaha Hadid’s Aquatics Centre to smaller hockey, indoor sports, and community facilities.

Beyond sport, the area has grown into a vibrant mixed-use district with over 10,000 new homes, the East Bank cultural precinct (featuring the BBC, V&A, and UCL East), and several new schools and universities. Stratford has become one of London’s fastest-growing urban centres—its station now among the UK’s busiest, and the area a rising hub for innovation and education.

This visit informs our work as we continue to explore how Olympic investment can catalyse long-term, inclusive change in Cape Town.

With thanks to the City of London, West Ham United, the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park team, and those who had the foresight to deliver a legacy that has permanently reshaped East London’s urban landscape.