UK Athletics
22 March 2001 The Department for Culture Media and Sport, UK Athletics, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority and the London Borough of Enfield today unveiled the designs for the new Lee Valley National Athletics Centre to be built to stage to IAAF World Championships in Athletics 2005.
The new venue will provide a 43,000 seat venue for the 2005 Championships and then be transformed into a magnificent legacy for the sport. In legacy mode it will comprise a 20,000 seat national athletics stadium for all levels of competition and the warm up track and throws field will remain as a permanent facility for local community and club use. Integrated within the stadium will be a High Performance Centre funded by Lottery World Class Performance and Potential programmes. This will include a 200m indoor track and field event facilities which will be available for much needed training and regional indoor competition.
Rt Hon Chris SMITH MP, Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport said today:
"The stadium is the best thing to happen to athletics in the UK for a generation. It combines a state-of-the-art arena in which to hold the 2005 World Athletics Championships and a world class High Performance Centre for top athletes to use throughout the year. The design team has produced an imaginative and innovative solution to a challenging brief. The National Athletics Stadium will provide a fitting venue for the 2005 Championships and a wonderful legacy for the sport. I am delighted that so much progress has been made in such a short time - it is a tribute to the can-do and mentality of all those involved."
David MOORCROFT, UK Athletics Chief Executive said:
"I am delighted that today we are able to illustrate what a wonderful concept the Lee Valley National Athletics Centre is. The design team have managed to combine the requirement of a World Championships stadium with a facility that will be a long lasting and really effective legacy for our sport."
Dwain CHAMBERS, 100m Bronze medallist, IAAF World Championships 1999 said:
"I can’t wait for the 2005 World Championships. It will give me a real focus and I’d love to do well on home soil. It will be great for the whole of the Norwich Union Great Britain and Northern Ireland Team and for all our supporters to be able to experience a major athletics event at home. It will also be brilliant to have a great indoor and outdoor training facility all year round."