London Olympic Stadium set for £429million makeover

LONDON (AFP) –

The 2012 London Olympic Stadium pictured on March 22, 2013

London’s Olympic Stadium is set for a major refurbishment after the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) approved plans for a £429 million ($650 million, 500 million euros) makeover on Wednesday.

The east London venue, which witnessed Olympic successes by athletes such as Usain Bolt and Mo Farah last year, is to have its capacity reduced from 80,000 to 60,000 in works that were unanimously approved by the LLDC’s planning committee.

However, the multi-purpose venue will still be able to accommodate 80,000 people for concerts.

The plans include the introduction of a lower tier of removeable seating, which will necessitate the extension of the roof, as well as the re-use of lighting towers.

Premier League football club West Ham United are scheduled to move into the stadium as permanent tenants in 2016, while the arena will also host 2015 Rugby World Cup matches and the 2017 World Athletics Championships.

“As we prepare for the phased re-opening of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park this summer, with the long-term future of all eight permanent venues on the Park now secure, we remain firmly on track to deliver a meaningful physical and social legacy for Londoners,” said LLDC chief executive Dennis Hone.