In 2006 the British Olympic committee was successful with its bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games in London. The main complex will be sited in Stratford, East London in an area which has largely been occupied by industrial premises.

This Land & Water Plant Ltd Hitachi excavator is positioned in what may be thought of as the «Starting Blocks» of this project as it is seen working at the very edge of the site.

The Olympic village complex will expand for a total of approximately 7sq kilometres beyond this position.

The machine is currently excavating land that will take electricity cables underground rather than remain fixed to pylons currently on the site. Due to the high profile nature of this project where tight schedules need to be met, Land & Water provided a machine filled with PANOLIN biodegradable fluid to ensure the work is completed reliably and on time. Innovation is embodied within the Land & Water philosophy and having made the decision to switch to bio fluids some years ago, they now have the peace of mind gained from previous projects that the use of PANOLIN biodegradable lubricants contribute towards the overall productivity of their machines. By choosing PANOLIN, Land & Water benefit from a reduction of waste and energy consumption, which combined contribute towards improved efficiency and a reduction in the «Carbon Footprint» of the company.

The existing towpath was badly eroded and required reconstruction in order to enable improved access for pedestrians, wheelchair users and cyclists.

Funding was provided from Denbighshire Council through a TAITH regional transport plan grant from the Welsh Assembly Government and the scheme was developed working closely with Sustrans (the National Cycle Network), and British Waterways acting as overall Client coordinator.  

As the site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and is currently one of 28 UK World Heritage status sites, utmost care was required in order to prevent damage to any part of the site and surrounding structures. The programme included hard surface, edgings, fencing and soft landscaping.

Work was completed without closure of the towpath at any time and has now enabled a significant increase in accessibility for both local and tourist visitors.