A cutting-edge neighbourhood at the heart of one of London’s creative and forward thinking boroughs, Stratford’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park might be described as a bastion of the capital’s young and dynamic future. The locale is both self-sufficient and hyper-connected, with a wide range of amenities to suit almost any lifestyle. The legacy of the Olympic Games has provided the area with swathes of green space intertwined with towpaths and dotted with play-areas, entertainment complexes at Westfield, and an impressive residential quarter. Chobham Manor is one of five new neighbourhoods being built in the Olympic Park, together with East Village – a reconstruction of the Athletes’ Village.

The estates are serviced by a sprinkling of amenities featuring hip coffee shops and popular bars such as Tina We Salute You. As one may expect, keeping fit is the last of a local Stratfordian’s worries – the London Aquatics Centre built by award-winning architect Zaha Hadid, has entrance prices pegged to keep fitness affordable. In addition to this, many businesses are putting down their roots in the vibrant Here East development, where innovators and companies of all sizes cluster together in the 1.2 million square-feet commercial space. Serviced by transport links including Stratford International (HS1) and Stratford High Street Underground Station, the DLR, Overground, Central, Jubilee and the new Elizabeth Line, mean that it is difficult to find a better connected neighbourhood.

The locale as it exists today is dominated by new developments, most of which are no older than half a decade, having thrived in the afterglow of the 2012 Olympic Games. But in no way does this override the fascinating history of Stratford’s as a historic crossing over the River Lea.

Temple Mills was one of the first water mills to be established on the river in the 12th century. After passing through various ownerships, seven hundred years later the mills were cleared for the construction of a wagon works site which at one point would become the largest in the country. During the 1930s the local population was provided with employment constructing damns on the Bow Back – the collective name for the different streams of the River Lea. Pudding Mill Lane station was constructed to serve the industrial workers of the locale. After a period of gradual economic decline and rising unemployment, the announcement of the 2012 Olympic Games acted as the light at the end of the tunnel.

The “renaissance man” of 1960s British and Hollywood cinema, Brian Forbes, actor, director and novelist, was born in Stratford in July 1926.

Described by the Guardian as “one of the most creative forces in the British film industry in the 1960s”, Forbes approached his cinematography from a deeply emotional perspective, often taking on tense dramatic themes that would “[send] you forth with a lump in your throat, as well as a set of muscles weary from being tense for nigh two hours.” Best known for at the time for blockbusters such as the 1964 Scéance on a Wet Afternoon, contemporary film fanatics will be acquainted with works like Chaplin (1992), directed by Richard Attenborough.

The General Strike of 1926 is considered to have been the last national strike to have mobilised workers across the UK to support the cause of a particular workforce. The miners in the north of England attracted nationwide support and almost caused the country to come to a standstill. Subsequently, the organising of general strikes was outlawed. Yet in July 1972, when five shop stewards from Temple Mills refused to stop a picket at a meat storage container in Chobham Farm, their arrest led sympathisers across the country to form mass protests, with thousands of workers marching to Pentonville Prison demanding the release of the so-called Pentonville Five.

There has been significant debate about whether the legacy of the 2012 Games has had a positive impact on the local community; gentrification is a word not only heard all too often but also one which is emblemised by the juxtaposition between 60s council housing and luxury apartment blocks. As a result, some local residents are disquieted by the feeling of “them and us” that is often present in rapidly changing communities.

With the Elizabeth Line opening earlier this year, fast trains now run through Stratford, bringing Heathrow within an hour. Further housing is planned to add to developments in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, with 1,500 new homes scheduled for completion before 2030. Elsewhere, IQL developers have confirmed two new residential blocks which will reach 14 and 35 stories respectively. The hexagonal towers are set to be a fresh take on traditional 20th century residential towers, incorporating green roofs, planted terraces and “park ledges”.