In the wake of the Wembley fiasco, fears have been raised that the London 2012 Olympics may run over time and budget.
But just how realistic are they? The expected development spend is between £1bn and £1.8bn, to be achieved over six years. Yet some £75bn is spent on construction in the UK every year. Achieving the Olympic dream is far from an unrealistic plan.
Given the scale of the project, there is simply no excuse for overrunning on time or budget. London 2012 is indeed high-profile and many organisations will look to put forward their most innovative designs. It also has a focus on sustainability that will provide opportunities to use new materials.
But for any well organised operation, with sound processes and information resources that ensure best practice, an Olympic contract should not represent a high-risk project. Isn’t it time the industry stopped playing up the challenge and got down to delivering a showcase for British design?
Will Yandell, commercial director, Union Square Software
