Stretching from the City to the Olympic Park, "High Street 2012" aims to create a world-class and thriving high street, where there is a balance between pedestrian and road users, where people and places are connected and where there is a sense of community, history and well-being.

 

 

Improvements will run along the entire length of the street, including enhanced heritage buildings and spaces, better street and accent lighting, a new cycleway and improved surfaces, de-cluttering, greener spaces, and measures to help people find their way.

 

A number of projects that form part of the High Street 2012 vision are already underway.

 

Groups of heritage buildings along the route in Tower Hamlets are being restored and improved.

 

Braham Street Park in Aldgate will help revitalise and regenerate the heart of Aldgate and provide much needed open space in the area, the London Development Agency (LDA) said.

 

It has been created through the closure of the one-way Whitechapel High Street gyratory system.

 

The historic Mile End Waste is being decluttered in time for the Olympics and Paralympics and in Newham design work has begun for improvements on Stratford High Street.

 

London Mayor Boris Johnson said: "In three years time, when London welcomes thousands of visitors for the 2012 Games, it is essential that the capital looks its best.

 

"Making improvements to our public realm is all part of our goal of ensuring an unforgettable experience and spurring visitors on to return again and again.

 

"It is therefore fitting that, in summer 2012, there will be a wonderful, vibrant avenue leading athletes and spectators to the focus of world attention in London's Olympic Park."

 

Sir Peter Rogers, the chief executive of the LDA, said: “High Street 2012 will create great changes to the public realm from the City to Stratford in East London.

 

"The Braham Street Park will be a new breathing space close to the City, marking the start of these improvements throughout communities along the route.”

 

Lutfur Rahman, the Leader of Tower Hamlets Council said: “This is an exciting project for Tower Hamlets and Newham which has been made possible by our roles as Olympic Host Boroughs.

 

Realising this vision for High Street 2012 will make Tower Hamlets an attractive destination for individuals and businesses that want to be close to the action in 2012, but most importantly it helps to create a long term regeneration legacy from the Games that stretches far beyond the Olympic Park."

 

The proposals include additional improvements to Aldgate, Whitechapel (pictured), Mile End Waste, Ocean Green, Mile End intersection, Bow, the Greenway and Stratford DLR Crossing designed to enhance these destinations in a way that retains and celebrates their individual character.

 

High Street 2012 is being adopted within Tower Hamlet’s emerging Local Development Framework Core Strategy - a document that will guide the growth in Tower Hamlets in terms of planning and development, and has been selected by Boris Johnson to be one of London’s ‘cycle super highways’.

 

The vision was prepared by Fluid Architects on behalf of Tower Hamlets Council, Newham Council, Design for London, Transport for London, English Heritage and London Thames Gateway Development Corporation.

 

Sir Robin Wales, the Mayof Newham, claimed that the development will help local residents feel they are part of the Games.

 

He said: “The 2012 Games is providing us with a great opportunity to transform this part of East London and to bring long term benefits for local people.

 

"High Street 2012 is a welcome project that will improve an important route through the area.

 

"It will bring not only much-needed physical change but will give people a real connection to the excitement of the 2012 Games.”

 

Peter Andrews, the chief executive of London Thames Gateway Development Corporation said: “This is an ambitious and exciting vision which provides a compelling sneak preview of what a future Stratford High Street could look like.

 

"This vision will act as a useful lodestar to inform our plans to improve the public realm on the High Street.

 

"We are committed to deliver a quality high street and transformed public realm that will be a visual legacy for the public before the 2012 Games.”