Cultural hub to be centrepiece of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Mayor of London Boris Johnson has welcomed Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne’s pledge in the National Infrastructure Plan to support the creation of a higher education and cultural district in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. University College London (UCL) and the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) are putting forward plans for new institutions on the site and the ‘Olympicopolis’ project is envisaged as creating 10k jobs and boosting the UK economy by £5.2bn. The Chancellor said: “This excellent project brings together new housing with a world class university and museum and has the real prospect of creating a new centre of culture and learning in London. I am behind it 100 per cent.” The Mayor and the Chancellor, together with the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), have agreed to work together on plans that would potentially see UCL and V&A build new sites adjacent to the Stratford waterfront on land between the Olympic Stadium and Stratford station. UCL’s initial plans, being developed in consultation with staff and partners, would involve developing activities which complement their ongoing work in Bloomsbury, which may include a new centre for culture and heritage, a design school, a new biotech hub and an educational technology centre. The V&A’s plans would enable more of its permanent collection to be displayed, as well as providing a showcase for temporary and touring exhibitions in partnership with other leading international museums and galleries.

The Mayor’s aim is that UCL and V&A will form the pillars of a new hub for 21st century London, attracting further prestigious institutions and businesses to the site. His vision for Olympicopolis takes its inspiration from the achievements of Prince Albert, who used the proceeds of the 1851 Great Exhibition to create ‘Albertopolis’ – the 86 acre site around Exhibition Road in South Kensington that is today considered one of the world’s best scientific, educational, artistic and cultural hubs. The Government, UCL, V&A and the Mayor will work with those involved in this partnership on detailed business cases and funding arrangements in the coming weeks.