Residents of an upscale apartment development near London’s Olympic Park have been told of plans by Britain’s military to install a missile battery on top of a tower to defend the 2012 Games.
The Ministry of Defence said the site is one of a number around the capital the army is considering as bases for surface-to-air missiles. It is the first time such missiles have been deployed in London since the end of World War Two, shocking some residents at the Bow Quarter housing development.
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond first announced the plans in November, saying Britain would follow the precedent set by previous Olympics such as the Beijing games in 2008 where surface to air missiles were stationed a kilometre south of its showpiece stadiums.
The defence ministry said in a leaflet sent to occupants on Saturday it had chosen the former water tower because it offered “an excellent view of the surrounding area.”