The 2012 Olympic Games and economic policy

The 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will speed up development in the Lower Lea Valley, which is one of the priority areas for regeneration in London. The Lower Lea Valley - an area in East London stretching from Canary Wharf to Stratford - is one of the most deprived areas in the UK, with poor housing and high unemployment.

The London Development Agency (LDA) estimates that the Games will leave a legacy of up to 9,000 new homes in the Olympic zone, more than half of them in the Olympic Village itself. The construction of the Olympic facilities will provide thousands of jobs in the area for years before the Games, and the LDA is working to ensure that local people will have the skills to make the most of these opportunities.

The 2012 Games themselves will provide jobs and volunteering opportunities for Londoners, and the influx of spectators will produce a boost for the hospitality industry across London. The Games will be an international showcase for London's culture and creativity as well as a magnet for business, jobs and tourism. The effects of London 2012 will be felt long after the Olympic flame has left the capital.

Many of the economic plans surrounding the Olympic bid will be carried out by the LDA, which is both the Mayor's agency for business and jobs and the publicly-funded body responsible for economic regeneration in London. Find out more about the LDA's plans for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Learn more about how hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games will provide a boost for UK businesses.

Find out more about the London 2012 Olympic Games.