Workers begin removing pylons from Olympic Park - PHOTOS

A £250m project to change the skyline of East London entered its final phase today with the removal of the first 60m power pylon at Olympic Park.

The two-year job, involving the construction of two 6km tunnels beneath the park to transport power, will end when all pylons have been dismantled by the end of the year.

52 pylons run through the centre of the 2012 site from Hackney to West Ham and will be removed to allow for development above ground.

Olympic Delivery Authority chief executive David Higgins said: “Removing the overhead pylons from the Olympic Park site is a symbol of the huge change the Games is bringing to east London.

“With the pylons coming down and the Olympic Stadium steel going up we are transforming the skyline of the Lower Lea Valley for good.

“The powerlines project has been hugely challenging, but the completion of the underground tunnels has been done on time and to budget and I congratulate the team for this achievement.”

The pylons will be removed using a variety of methods including a 200 tonne crane with a reach of 70m.

Around 1,300 tonnes of steel will be recycled, while 130km of overhead wires will be removed.