The Olympic Delivery Authority has hit back at claims that open space in the Olympic Park area has been reduced.

ODA chief executive David Higgins insisted today that the proportion had remained the same throughout the planning process.

In a statement, he said: ‘There has been speculation in the media that we have cut the proportion of open space in the Olympic Park. This is wrong.

‘The planning applications for 2004 and 2007 cover different areas and the boundaries of the park have changed so it is not possible to compare them. Where previously there was one application there are now several covering broadly the same area.

‘The 2004 planning application included more of the Stratford City area which is now subject to a separate planning application but will still form the same amount of open space within the park.’

Higgins added that the 2004 planning application also included ‘incidental open spaces’ which are no longer in the 2007 application but are likely to be included in a separate planning application next year.

‘This underlines our commitment to transform an area of neglected and largely inaccessible land into one of the largest urban parks to be built in Europe for 150 years,’ he said.