Olympic Stadium Construction 'Three Months Ahead Of Schedule'

Construction of the Olympic Stadium - which will host the London 2012 games - is due to get underway three months ahead of schedule.

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) confirmed they would be starting building work early as good progress has already been made on the site. Construction was due to commence in August.

The £500 million stadium, in Stratford, east London, will be host to 80,000 people during the Olympic games - including the opening and closing ceremonies, and the athletic events. After the games are over, the stadium will become a 25,000-seat community venue.

A three-day visit of the site by the International Olympic Committee's Coordination Commission (CoCom) has coincided with the first steps towards building the landmark structure.

London 2012 Chairman Lord Coe and ODA Chairman John Armitt addressed the 18-strong group, focusing on the importance of sport, elite sport and sport participation.

The team also met with Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell and the new Culture Secretary Andy Burnham.

During the first phase of construction 4,000 concrete columns will be inserted into the soil, which will form the permanent foundations of the stadium structure. Building company Sir Robert McAlpine will install floor slabs, lower tier structures as well as columns to support the pedestrian forecourt level.

Meanwhile, seven architects have been chosen by Australian constructor Lend Lease to help design the £2 billion Athletes Village.

Caruso St John, Denton Corker Marshall, dRMM, DSDHA, Eric Parry, Ian Ritchie, and Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands have all been appointed to design buildings within the village.

They will join architects Patel Taylor, Glenn Howells, CF Moller, Niall McLaughlin Architects, Panter Hudspith, Penoyre and Prasad, AHMM, Make and Ian Simpson Architects - already commissioned to design residential blocks, towers and other structures within the Village.

Lend Lease are the only firm to have bid for the village. The ODA concluded the "challenging" global economic climate made agreeing a final contract more complicated.

(JM)