'I think the legacy business plan will depend on the public accepting that something imaginative should be done with the park afterwards'
Mark Sesnan, GLL, on the prospect of an Olymipc Park 'square mile' for social enterprise
A social enterprise 'square mile', similar to London's Canary Wharf business district, should be created as part of the 2012 Olympic legacy.
The idea was mooted by Mark Sesnan, boss of one of the UK biggest social enterprises, leisure company GLL.
Sesnan asked a breakout session at Voice10, the annual Social Enterprise Coalition conference in Cardiff earlier this month: 'Where is the equivalent of Thatcher's square mile business zone for social enterprises under Labour? I thought this was supposed be happening in the Olympic area. At least Thatcher knew what she wanted.'
Session chair Sam Conniff, a social enterprise ambassador and CEO of youth marketing social enterprise Livity, jumped on the idea as an exciting opportunity.
Conniff said later: 'There's obviously massive differences to the City, and ones I think we'd be keen to preserve. But the idea of focusing sustained growth, development, interest and investment in social enterprise in a specific area is an exciting prospect.
He added: 'I think we could also explore doing something like this virtually, or perhaps build it into an existing development plan, like Battersea Power Station, where a section will have to be dedicated to business use, and we create the Silicon Valley of social enterprise.'
Speaking to Social Enterprise after the conference, Sesnan said he thought some areas of the Olympic park would be perfect for social enterprises.
He said: 'It would be great to see an area of the park, perhaps the press centre, used as a social enterprise hub afterwards. I would imagine something like a 25 per cent rent reduction for the first five years.
'I think the legacy business plan will depend on the public accepting that something imaginative should be done with the park afterwards.'
It's not the first time that the idea of a social enterprise business zone has been suggested - but it has yet to gain momentum.
Sion Whellens, of cooperative printers Calverts, spoke of the idea two years ago. Whellens told Social Enterprise this week that he had had numerous conversations with politicians, social enterprise leaders, support agencies and social investors - but he has struggled to find real leadership to take it forward.
He said: 'Plenty of people have said they will support this, but really the idea needs someone or an organisation with a strong voice in the sector and a bit of time and money to really lead the way.'
Social Enterprise London, the sector umbrella body for the capital, is due to bring out an Olympics publication in the next month, called Winning with Social Enterprise, which will outline some of its 'asks' from Olympics bodies.
A spokeswoman for the Olympic Park Legacy Company told Social Enterprise that it was in the process of reviewing the Olympics 'master plan' and would be bringing out a new business plan later this year.
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