THE masterplan for the centre of the new Stratford City complex has been approved by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and Newham Council.

Stratford City, which will be built to the east of the Olympic Park, includes offices, shops as well as nearly 5,000 homes.

It includes four districts, and outline permission for the town centre district has now be granted.

Planners will now work on detailed designs of the buildings in the town centre district.

A spokesman for the developers, Westfield, described the complex as a "new town" between Stratford and Leyton.

He said: "Stratford City will provide a community service, jobs, offices, shops and facilities.

"It is not a self-centred money-making machine."

The spokesman added Stratford City will be the lasting legacy of the Games.

He said that initiatives including training programmes would be put in place to make sure local people, including those from Waltham Forest, will benefit from the creation of 25,000 jobs.

Work is expected to start on the town centre district early next year and it is due to open in 2011.