Stratford City is one of the largest regeneration schemes in the United Kingdom with planning consent for 13.5 million square feet of development. The development is being built on the former Stratford Rail Land which is owned by London and Continental Railways (LCR). The project will be constructed by Stratford City Development Ltd (SCDL), who are LCR’s development partners - Stanhope, Multiplex and Westfield.

In December 2004, LCR asked LCA to provide communications support for the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) visit to Stratford on 17 February, as well as support for a key stakeholders’ event to be held following the IOC visit.

The main news hook was an opportunity to travel by Land Rover Discovery through the London-bound tunnel of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link from Stratford to King’s Cross. This was to be promoted as a unique ‘one-off’ opportunity.

LCA’s role was to handle media relations around the event on behalf of LCR; advise on key guests to attend the event from national, regional and local organisations; ensure all development partners were bought into the overall approach and that messages were delivered accurately and clearly through the event; write all press materials and provide advice on speeches.

During January LCA’s brief broadened. The signing of the section 106 agreement on Stratford City and joint partnership between LCR and the LDA to develop the Olympic Village became additional stories to communicate.

Once CTRL tunnel access had been agreed, it became apparent that there was an opportunity to run other

audiences through the tunnel apart from the IOC delegates and the Stratford City guests. Early in the planning it was decided that a transport focused group would run through the tunnel on the evening of 16 February. Late in the planning it was also agreed with London 2012 to run a group of Olympic journalists through during the Stratford City event.

Given the section 106 issue LCA’s role broadened to advising not just LCR but also SCDL. This involved a considerable amount of time dealing with the development partners – the Multiplex Group, Stanhope plc and the Westfield Group – as well as their communications advisers to ensure that all partners were positioned effectively in all media activities.

The event was an outstanding success with the IOC delegates and about 150 guests travelling through the tunnel. In media terms it was also a huge success with over 150 broadcast programmes or news bulletins covering the IOC journey through the tunnel, mentioning Stratford City, CTRL, Olympic Village or LCR.

As well as broadcast, the event and the Stratford City announcement were reported in ten national papers including the Times, Guardian and Evening Standard, across 11 property, retail, regeneration, trade publications and all three Stratford local papers.

The tunnel image became the image of the IOC’s visit to London. The footage was used again when the final report on London’s bid was published in May 2005 and after the announcement that London had won the opportunity to host the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.