The final design of the east London Olympic Park, which will be the centrepiece of the 2012 London Olympic Games, was unveiled in June.

This final plan sets out the layout of venues for Olympic and Paralympic athletes and spectators during the Games. It also improves location, access and use of the Park’s facilities for London and the UK once the Games have finished.

Changes to the design
A number of final changes have been made to the original design. These have been validated by the International Olympic Committee and the relevant sports governing bodies and federations.

Volleyball relocated
As a result of these changes to the Olympic Park, volleyball will be relocated to Earls Court in west London.

The use of Earls Court is set to increase the number of existing venues with established transport links that will host Olympic sports in 2012.

Providing more space in the village
The relocation of volleyball will open up space in the Olympic Park for athlete training facilities close to the Olympic Village.

It will also enhance access and entry to the Main Press Centre and the International Broadcast Centre in the Park, which will serve approximately 20,000 accredited media during the Olympics.

Existing venues
A major feature of the design is that more than 60 per cent of the venues for the Games already exist. These include:

• Lords Cricket Ground
• Horse Guards Parade
• Wimbledon
• Greenwich Park
• ExCeL Centre, which will host six Olympic sports
• The new Wembley Stadium
• Hyde Park

Legacy planning
The plans reflect the extensive legacy planning carried out by London 2012 organisers during the Bid process.

Olympics Minister, Tessa Jowell, said: “We are determined to ensure that legacy is at the heart of everything we do, whether it is delivering world class stadia or providing grassroots facilities designed to benefit the whole community.”

Addressing a fine balance
Colin Moynihan, Chairman of the British Olympic Association, said:

“The final Masterplan for the Olympic Park has addressed the fine balance required between facilities which must provide ease of access for our athletes during the Games and those which are placed so that they leave a lasting legacy for sport post-2012. At every stage of the design process, the needs of the athletes who will be competing in London has been at the forefront of the decision making. To achieve an end-product which encompasses convenience for our athletes together with a long-term facility legacy was essential.”