Delivering the Olympic and Paralympic Games safely and securely
Welcome
The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games promise to be one of the greatest sporting events in UK history.
The UK has an excellent track record of successfully hosting major events safely and securely - it's one of the reasons the UK won the Olympic bid in the first place.
During the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games the Metropolitan Police Service (the Met) will deploy a large number of officers across London to ensure the safety and security of the events, venues and crucially all residents and visitors to the capital. In addition, more police officers will come from other forces outside of London to work with the Met as part of the standard procedure for large scale events.
This website has been set up by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) - both referred to here as the Metropolitan Police - and the City of London Corporation to explain more about the proposals for a one off use of the Fairground area of Wanstead Flats. This will potentially allow a strictly time limited temporary muster and briefing centre on the site during the unique circumstances of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This will be on the strict proviso that the land is returned to its original state at the end of the Games.
This proposal forms part of the policing plan for the Games. The temporary centre would be erected in June 2012, ready for the start of the Olympic Games on 27 July, and be taken down shortly after 9 September when the Paralympic Games finish.
Wanstead Flats is owned and managed by the City of London Corporation, as part of Epping Forest. The Epping Forest and City Commons Committee has carefully considered this proposal and agreed - in principle - to the proposed use of this small part of the Flats, using existing areas of hard standing and vehicular access for the muster and briefing centre on a strictly temporary basis. This use would be just for 90 days around the Games and means that the vast majority of Wanstead Flats remains open to local people.
As part of the agreement, if the fairground area of Wanstead Flats is used, the City of London Corporation has determined that the financial benefit, some £170, 000 negotiated for the hire of the site, would be used to invest locally on a project related to Wanstead Flats. The exact nature of this project will be determined following full consultation with the local community (see The Benefits page).
The Epping Forest Act 1878 specifies the preservation and management of Epping Forest, including ensuring that the land is kept unenclosed and un-built on. It is now proposed to make a time limited, temporary amendment to the 1878 Act through a Legislative Reform Order. The aim will be to allow a one-off enclosure of land on a small area of Wanstead Flats and a separate consultation will be conducted about this proposed temporary amendment.
For more information on the Epping Forest Act please visit the City of London Corporation website.
Following a public consultation, the Met has now submitted a planning application to Redbridge Council for a temporary muster briefing and deployment centre during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Through usual planning rules, this application is available for the public to view on the Redbridge Council website www.redbridge.gov.uk/planning. The Planning reference number for the application is 2643/10 which you can enter under view and search applications. Whilst the Met's public consultation has now concluded, the information on this website is still available for information on the background to the proposal.
