The River Lea runs directly through the Park, After falling out of use in the second half of the 20th century, the waterways were given a new lease of life following the 2012 Olympic Games. The Park’s waterways have been cleaned, repaired and restored and are now a vibrant focal point for events, sport and leisure. The Bow Back Rivers are a 16km system of waterways which feed into the River Lee Navigation and the Thames – 6km of which are in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Settle in Stratford...
Even before the Olympics came, and with it regeneration, Stratford was considered a great place to live in London.
A great balance of inner and outer London, Stratford is close enough to the City, Docklands and the West End to be useful, but also far enough out of London that you have got some breathing space as well.
London has always been a ‘city of perpetual works’ but postcodes E15 and E20 really stand out. In fact, they have almost totally transformed over the last decade. They have become a magnet for people across the world. The 2012 London Olympics fundamentally transformed this area of east London, and the regeneration was a central part of the bid and the legacy. Part of the newly developed portion even got a new postcode. E20 had only existed as a fictional postcode for Walford, the location of the hit British TV series Eastenders!
The new E20 postcode was created in honour of the 2012 London Olympic Games, and 520-acre Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is at its heart, containing the formidable array of Olympic legacy sporting venues including the former Games stadium, now home to West Ham United, the Aquatics Centre and the Lee Valley VeloPark. The park is also packed with green cycle routes meaning traffic within is kept to a minimum. The Olymnpic Park is also home to the Bobby Moore Academy, named after the England and West Ham football hero.
The E20 postcode is for people who love living in new buildings. The most expensive homes are those being resold by the original buyers in Manhattan Loft Gardens — now known as The Stratford, with hotel rooms and rental lofts.
This is one of London’s best-connected neighbourhoods. Stratford International station is seven minutes on the High Speed Line from St Pancras.
Stratford station is on the Jubilee line and the Docklands Light Railway with services to Canary Wharf; on the Central line for Bank and Oxford Circus; and the Overground has trains to Highbury & Islington.
There are also trains to Liverpool Street and the Elizabeth line will stop at Stratford when Crossrail opens, with direct trains to Heathrow. Commuters into central London are in Zone 2.
Postcode
E20 is the tiny postcode carved out of the E15 Stratford postcode to cover the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the Olympic sporting venues.
Transport
Stratford sits on the border of zones 2 and 3. Its busy station serves the underground, overground, Crossrail and the DLR. On the Underground, Stratford is on the Central and Jubilee lines.
Up and coming
In Maryland, a short walk to the east of the park in E15, are roads of Victorian terrace houses just waiting to be done up.
Green Space
The 520-acre Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is at the heart of E20; there are peaceful canal side walks, two cafés and children’s playgrounds. Those of a brave disposition can Ride the Slide, the helter skelter on the 375ft-tall ArcelorMittal Orbit sculpture.
Education
Three new schools have opened in the E20 postcode: Mossbourne Academy, a primary school and all-through school, and Chobham Academy (co-ed, 3 to 18) both of which are judged to be outstanding by Ofsted.
The third school, Bobby Moore Academy (co-ed, 4 to 18) is also an all-through school has not yet been inspected by Ofsted.
The East London Science School (co-ed, 11 to 18) and Central Foundation Girls’ School (11 to 18) are both judged to be “good”.
Other nearby schools rated “outstanding” are London Academy of Excellence, (co-ed, 16 to 18) a selective sixth form in Stratford High Street; School 21 (co-ed, 4 to 18) and East London Arts & Music, known as ELAM (co-ed, 16 to 18) in Bow, which specialises in music, film and TV production and games design.
