Olympic landscaping job up for grabs

Olympic chiefs are looking for a contractor to revamp the southern section of parklands on the London 2012 site.

Bam Nuttall is due to start work within weeks on the northern end of the site and a contractor for the southern section will be chosen by the end of the year.

Both schemes will transform former industrial land into a total of 100 hectares of parklands.

The southern part of the Park will focus on retaining the festival atmosphere from the Games, with riverside gardens, markets, events, cafes and bars in legacy.

The landscape and public realm contract will include hard and soft landscape works, tree planting and the construction of the concourse which will link all the venues, entrances and parklands.

The work, due to start in early 2010, will also include lighting, irrigation and drainage and delivering the London 2012 gardens stretching for half a mile between the Aquatics Centre and Olympic Stadium.

ODA Head of Parklands and Public Realm John Hopkins said: "This is an opportunity to be involved in creating one of the biggest urban parks of its type in Europe for 150 years for the London 2012 Games and legacy. The southern part of the park will provide a festival atmosphere during the Games, hosting the main spectator entrance, Olympic Stadium, Aquatics Centre and London 2012 gardens. In legacy it has been designed to retain this festival atmosphere for the enjoyment of people living around and visiting the area."

The northern area of the Park will use the latest green techniques to manage flood and rain water while providing quieter public space and habitats for hundreds of existing and rare species from kingfishers to otters.