Local History
From sewage works to Olympic park — the story of East Village.
East Village sits on land with a surprisingly layered history.
Before the Olympics
The land now occupied by East Village and the Olympic Park was largely industrial — gasworks, a sewage works, and various contaminated post-industrial sites spread across the Lower Lea Valley.
The area was historically known as Stratford Marsh, and before that formed part of the marshlands of the River Lea floodplain.
The 2012 Olympics
The area was transformed for the 2012 London Olympics. The Olympic Athletes’ Village — where Team GB and athletes from around the world stayed — was built on what is now East Village.
After the Games, the Village was converted into permanent residential housing. The first residents moved in from 2013.
The neighbourhood today
East Village is a purpose-built neighbourhood managed by GetLiving (formerly known as East Village by Get Living). The estate covers approximately 27 hectares and includes:
- Around 2,800 homes
- Restaurants, cafés and shops on Celebration Avenue
- The Podium fitness club
- Green spaces including Wick Field and Chobham Manor playing fields
- Direct access to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
Notable buildings
The Velodrome — Lee Valley Velopark, adjacent to the neighbourhood, was designed by Hopkins Architects.
The Aquatics Centre — designed by Zaha Hadid, visible from parts of the park.
Westfield Stratford City — one of Europe’s largest urban shopping centres, opened 2011.
The park
The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park opened to the public in phases after the Games. It’s now managed by the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), which also oversees planning in the area.