A TIME capsule was buried today to mark the start of building work at a new housing development.

Islington and Shoreditch Housing Association will start building 36 new flats at the junction of High Road and Grange Park Road in Leyton, from next week.

Thirty of these will be for affordable rent.

The association demolished existing buildings in November. In their place they will be building flats ranging from three storeys to five storeys.

Members of the association, the council, and councillors met to mark the start of the work and to bury a time capsule.

The contents included a copy of the Waltham Forest Guardian, plans of the development, current photographs of Leyton High Road, and a t-shirt and programme from Leyton Orient Football Club.

Chris Robbins, leader of the council, said: “We have watched substantial deterioration of this area over the years. This particular block has been an eyesore for years. So it's impressive they will be starting work here.”

Colin Archer, director of development and new business at Islington and Shoreditch, said: “This time capsule celebrates the start of an important project. This is a prominent site and we hope to have the work complete before the start of the Olympics.”

Work is due to be complete by March 2012.