• Hammers want to move into Stratford site after 2012
• Company behind shopping centre around stadium receptive

West Ham United’s bid to move into the Olympic Stadium after the 2012 games received a boost today after the company behind the huge shopping centre that will dominate the entrance to the site said it would back the idea.

The east London club has submitted a bid to take over the stadium in conjunction with Newham Council as part of a process being overseen by the Olympic Park Legacy Company. AEG, the operator of the O2, was also one of more than 100 parties to register an interest.

There had been speculation that Westfield, the Australian company behind the 1.9m square foot Stratford City shopping centre that is seen as a key part of the bid to leave a legacy for east London, did not approve of the idea of West Ham taking