The project was announced in February 2005 with an initial investment plan of £22 million, funded by Sport England, the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, the Mayor of London, and Transport for London. The site was designed to replace the Eastway Cycle Circuit, which had opened in 1975 as the first purpose-built road cycling venue in Britain. Following an architectural competition managed by RIBA, a design team consisting of Hopkins Architects, Expedition Engineering, BDSP, and Grant Associates was selected in 2007. Construction of the Olympic facilities took place between 2009 and 2011, with the velodrome becoming the first venue in the Olympic Park to be completed.
The predecessor to the VeloPark, the Eastway Cycle Circuit, occupied the site until its closure in September 2006 to facilitate Olympic construction. The transition was marked by local protest when the planned VeloPark site was rescaled from 34 hectares to 10 hectares in 2007. During the interim period, cycling activities were temporarily relocated to Hog Hill (Redbridge Cycling Centre), a £5 million permanent facility funded by the London Development Agency to ensure the legacy of the demolished Eastway track.
The indoor velodrome, informally known as "The Pringle" due to its distinctive hyperbolic shape, features a 250-metre track designed by Ron Webb. The track was constructed using 56 km of Siberian Pine and 350,000 nails. Its architecture emphasizes efficiency, utilizing natural ventilation and rooflights to reduce energy consumption.
The outdoor BMX track was designed by the UCI to push the boundaries of the sport, utilizing 14,000 cubic metres of soil. The men's course spans 470 metres and includes a berm jump, an S-bend transfer, and a box jump. The women's course is 430 metres long and features a tunnel. Both tracks share an 8-metre high starting ramp and conclude with a rhythm section on the final straight.
The BMX track was identified as one of the most challenging in the world during its 2011 test event. Competitors including Shanaze Reade and Sarah Walker called for modifications, noting the track was "on the limit" and potentially dangerous in changing wind conditions. Following the 2012 Games, the facility underwent a planned reconfiguration; the temporary seating for 6,000 spectators was removed, and the BMX track was modified to accommodate riders of all ability levels. The road course was also rerouted from its original 2011 plan to cross the River Lee, providing more parkland and better integration with London's broader cycle routes.
The venue served as a primary site for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. During the Olympics, Team GB dominated the track cycling events, winning seven gold medals. The facility has since hosted several major international competitions:
UCI Track Cycling World Cup: Held in February 2012 and December 2014.
UCI Track Cycling World Championships: Hosted in February 2016.
UCI Hour Record: On 7 June 2015, Sir Bradley Wiggins set a new world record at the velodrome, covering a distance of 54.526 km (33.881 miles).
Commonwealth Games: The velodrome hosted the track cycling competition for the 2022 Games.
Lee Valley VeloPark opened to the public in March 2014. The velodrome has received numerous architectural accolades, including the 2011 Structural Awards Supreme Award for Structural Engineering and the Prime Minister's Better Public Building Award. While British Cycling remains headquartered in Manchester, the London venue maintains a high-profile status through the Revolution series and international championships. It stands as a permanent legacy of the 2012 Games, managed by the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority.