Owners of the ArcellorMittal Orbit Tower hope the new attraction will boost visitor numbers by 60,000 per year, reports Nick Clark, Local Democracy Reporter

The view from the proposed zipwire (credit Atelier Ellis Architects) — The view from the proposed zipwire launch pad (credit Atelier Ellis Architects)

People living near the Olympic Park will get discounts to use a planned new zipline, councillors have been told.

Councillors in Newham and Tower Hamlets both voted to approve planning permission for the zipline from the ArcellorMittal Orbit Tower, which will span the boundary between the two boroughs.

Tower Hamlets councillors were told the operator, Zip World, would offer 30% “discount scheme for local residents”.

Council planning officers told them the discount would be available to people living in postcodes “that are in the Olympic Park or touch the Olympic Park”.

According to plans, the slide would launch from the tower on the Newham side of the boundary. It would then cross into Tower Hamlets on the other side of the River Lea, ending at a newly-built return tower.

Plans submitted to both councils also say that ZipWorld plans to install a “gravity descender” attraction on the tower, and that a separate planning application for this would follow.

Tower Hamlets councillors voted to approve planning permission for the return tower at a strategic development committee meeting on Wednesday (22nd), while councillors on Newham’s strategic development committee approved plans for the launch platform on Thursday (23rd).

Newham committee member Blossom Young asked whether the new attraction might also create new local jobs.

Zip World’s Andrew Hudson said the company wanted to recruit a “hyperlocal workforce” and said: “We want people to tell the story of the local area – it’s got a history to talk about and obviously using local people is our preference.”

Hudson said the attraction could create between ten and 15 jobs, but also protect existing jobs at the tower which he said “up until recently has not been doing very well”, adding: “Visitor numbers have significantly dropped.”

Plans submitted to both councils say that the zipline and “gravity descender” together could attract 60,000 new visitors per year.

Hudson said: “We do see it as a very accretive attraction to the park not just for Zip World but also for neighbouring visitors as well.”

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