Compulsory purchase orders mark next step in Olympic site development.

Ken Livingstone and London Continental Railways (LCR) have settled their row over the land earmarked for the 2012 Games. LCR, who plan to develop the land as part of the £4bn Stratford City regeneration project, had been angered by the threat of compulsory purchase orders by the Mayor’s London Development Agency (LDA), saying it could “kill off” the scheme. Now the LDA has agreed to leave the land as it is, providing access to the Olympic Park site is guaranteed, as only small parts of the LCR land overlap with the Olympic site.

Livingstone said: "This is excellent news which gives us the certainty we need to stick to the timetable and deliver a landmark Games in 2012. We have got a reconfiguration of the site which allows access to the Olympic Park. We are happy and the people developing Stratford City are happy."

CPOs have been issued on other land in the Lower Lea Valley, covering an area of 345 hectares.