Plans to transform the Olympic Stadium into a multi-purpose venue —hosting both concerts and football — have been put forward following West Ham United’s successful bid to move into the iconic venue.
The planning application, which was submitted last week, is seeking permission to provide a venue with the capability of hosting athletics and football, along with other events such as concerts.
The stadium will host music events already this summer after the world’s biggest live music company, Live Nation, announced earlier this year that it was moving The Wireless Festival and Hard Rock Calling from Hyde Park to the Olympic Park. Bruce Springsteen were among the fist acts to confirm he will be playing.
The seating capacity will be 54,000 for football and 60,000 for other events. For concerts, the capacity can be brought up to 80,000 including standing.
Under the plans retractable seating will be put in to cover up the athletics running track during football games to bring fans closer to players and the action.
The stadium’s will also get a new roof — a gravity stressed design enabling it, at 84 metres, to become the largest spanning tensile roof in the world. The retractable seating will be operated by a motor driven system, which can move all four sides of the lower bowl forward to bring the seats closer to the pitch and ensure the running track is covered.
The distance of the seating from the pitch is said to be comparable with the best stadiums in the world and UK such as Arsenal home ground, Emirates, and Wembley.
Seats will be 10 metres closer to the goal line than at the State De France in Paris, which boats a similar system.
The London Development Corporation, overseeing the Olympic Park, will now consider the application.
West Ham United are set to play their first games at the venue in 2016 after being approved as anchor tenants.
The Stadium is also set to host the Rugby World Cup in autumn 2015.
The planning application will be heard at meeting on May 28.
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