BUSINESS leaders in north Kent are throwing their weight behind London's bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games.

Organisers of the attempt to bring the event to the capital have earmarked Stratford for the Olympic stadium and village. The East London area will be just one stop away from the new international rail terminal at Ebbsfleet--due to open in 2007.

Michael Pead, director of Kent Thameside Chamber of Commerce, said there would be "huge spin offs" for Dartford and Gravesham if the bid was successful.

He added: "There will have to be a lot of pre-planning and we would obviously have to ensure the right infrastructure was in place to cope, but this could have a very positive impact.

"People would be travelling from across Europe on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link and obviously coming through Ebbsfleet. All the development that is happening in Kent Thameside will make it an even more attractive place to visit."

The potential benefits of the games coming to London are huge--it is estimated the indirect benefit to the Australian economy of staging the Sydney games in 2000 was worth £4.2 billion--and north Kent will be less than 10 minutes away from the action.

London Mayor Ken Livingstone said a successful Olympic bid would have to be properly co-ordinated with the restructuring of the Thames Gateway. He added: "There would be a real impetus to ensure that planned and confirmed transport improvements--especially the Crossrail project--are all in place by 2012."

The Crossrail services could be extended to Dartford and Ebbsfleet, linking the area to Heathrow Airport and the Docklands.

A consultant's report on London's bid said the games had the potential to have a major economic impact on the Thames Gateway, but that its extent could not be quantified.

London's bid is seen by its organisers as a nationwide attempt and several venues are planned for events. The centrepiece would be a world class athletics stadium in a 45-acre Olympic Village development in Stratford and the Lower Lea Valley.