A LEADING architect who worked on the Barcelona Olympic Park has criticised the design of the 2012 Olympic Park, following the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) glowing report of London's preparations for the Games.

A fortnight ago an IOC delegation said the London Games would be a model for creating a positive legacy and praised London's "sound planning" and "consistency of vision" and said that venue construction had been "thought through".

But David Mackay, who helped design the venues for the 1992 Barcelona Games, said of the IOC report: "It lacks precision and contains no constructive criticism, it is politely and enthusiastically political."

Mr Mackay has concerns about the design of the Olympic Park.

He said: "The architecture and planning as a legacy is more akin to an Expo fair with a circus act of 'look at me' constructions that could be anywhere in the world.

"There is a lack of joy and imagination, and with only four years to go delivery looks weak."

Mr Mackay is concerned that too many buildings and events are being squeezed into a small site and that it is not going to be sustainable.

He is also worried that development around the Olympic Park could ruin the Lea Valley.

He said: "I am worried about Newham jumping on the Olympic bandwagon and destroying the rest of the Lea Valley with inappropriate dense buildings. My plea is please, please, let the landscape architects recover the legacy of the valley first."

The urban design for the Barcelona Games was finished two years before the bid, said Mr Mackay.

"Because of the distraction of the Iraq invasion, planners were only given six months, so all they could do was play into the hands of the IOC," he said.

"They had no time to consider the real nature of the legacy of the Lea Valley as a valley to be recovered."