Structure will link site previously known as Olympicopolis with nearby shopping centre

Stratford Waterfront BBC (2)

The race is on for contractors looking to build a bridge connecting the East Bank arts and cultural quarter in east London with the nearby Westfield Straford shopping centre.

London Legacy Development Corporation has started the search for a contractor to build Carpenters Land Bridge, giving firms until 28 June to express interest in the £3m contract. A shortlist of five bidders is expected to be drawn up at the end of next month.

The job involves the design, fabrication and installation of a steel footbridge, which has been designed by Arquitecturia.

It is the first contractor role to be tendered as part of the £1.1bn Stratford scheme, which is being project managed by Mace.

Earlier this week, the BBC was confirmed as the latest organisation to take up space in the new cultural precinct.

It plans to close its Maida Vale studio, where it has been since the 1930s, and move its live music base to East Bank with the broadcaster set to move into a building (pictured) designed by overall masterplanner, Allies and Morrison.

The broadcaster is set to make the move following the decision by US museum group, the Smithsonian, to withdraw from taking up its own building at East Bank in favour of sharing space with a new V&A building at the site.