Mayor of London Press Release Plans to transform Old Oak Common receive seal of approval from Secretary of State
Plans to transform Old Oak Common receive seal of approval from Secretary of State
28 January 2015
One of the largest regeneration schemes in London for decades has received the seal of approval from the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles.
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson intends to establish a Mayoral Development Corporation to lead the transformation of Old Oak Common in West London and create a brand new part of the city with up to 24,000 homes and more than 55,000 jobs.
Eric Pickles has now confirmed that he supports these plans. An Order has been laid before Parliament to create the new body, which will be known as the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC). Subject to parliamentary approval, the new corporation will come into existence on April 1, 2015. The Order will be followed by a similar piece of legislation to give the OPDC planning powers.
A vast High Speed 2 (HS2) and Crossrail Station is due to be constructed at Old Oak Common by 2026. The new station will be the size of Waterloo, handling 250,000 passengers a day and acting as a super hub between London and the rest of the UK, Europe and the world.
This represents an opportunity to bring unprecedented regeneration to the area and the Mayor believes that the OPDC is the best way to unlock the enormous potential of the site and deliver a £15bn boost to London’s economy over 30 years.
The Corporation will act as a single, transparent and robust body to spearhead the regeneration of the 950 hectare site that straddles the London boroughs of Hammersmith & Fulham, Brent and Ealing
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said: “The vast new station at Old Oak Common presents us with an almost unprecedented opportunity to transform an area the size of a small London borough into a thriving new part of the capital, with unrivalled transport links to central London, the rest of the country and beyond. London will shortly become home to more people than ever before and there is no doubt that this scheme will provide a real shot- in-the-arm as we look to provide the new homes and jobs that we desperately need.”
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said: “Housebuilding is a key part of the Government’s long-term economic plan – so it is absolutely right that delivering new homes is at the heart of this exciting regeneration scheme. Today’s deal will create a whole new community in West London, delivering up to 24,000 new homes and over 50,000 new jobs, with excellent transport links both into the capital and across the country. This is on top of the efforts we’ve made to get the country building again, which has helped deliver over 141,000 homes in London since the end of 2009.”
The OPDC will look to emulate the success of the London Legacy Development Corporation that continues to lead the post-Olympic regeneration of Stratford and East London. The Mayor’s Office believes that the regeneration opportunity could provide almost 14 per cent of Greater London’s employment needs up to 2031.
As well as promoting and delivering physical, social, economic and environmental regeneration, the Corporation will also safeguard and develop Park Royal as a strategic industrial location and attract long-term investment to the area, including from overseas.
Once established, the proposed OPDC would take on various statutory powers relating to infrastructure, regeneration, land acquisitions and financial assistance. It is also intended that it will take on planning powers across the Old Oak and Park Royal area, including determination of planning applications and plan-making, which will enable the Corporation to charge the Community Infrastructure Levy (once it has in place the necessary charging schedule).
The OPDC will be chaired by the Mayor of London or designate and it is proposed that the Corporation’s board will include councillors from the three relevant boroughs to ensure local accountability. It is intended that the OPDC will agree arrangements to delegate the determination of certain planning applications back to the boroughs.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Further information about the Old Oak and Park Royal Development CorporationOld Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation
On 30 December 2014 the Mayor designated a Mayoral development area at Old Oak Common, to put in place a new Development Corporation. This will take the leading role in planning for development and regeneration in the area, to deliver 24,000 homes and 55,000 jobs.
Towpath
On 27 January 2015 the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government confirmed that he supports the plans by laying an ‘establishment order’ before Parliament to create the new body, the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC). Once the Order clears Parliament, the OPDC is expected to come into existence with full planning powers over the entire site on 1 April 2015.
Mayoral development area
Key documents in designating the Mayoral development area are linked below:
MD1421 – the Mayor's decision to designate the Old Oak and Park Royal Mayoral development area and Corporation
The Mayor’s notification to the Secretary of State of his designation
The OPDC designation instrument and map
Link to the Order laid in Parliament on 27 January
A link to the order will be available once it has been published on the legislation.gov.uk website
Map of OPDC boundary, including train stations
Map of OPDC boundary, including train stations (PDF)
OPDC and the Old Oak opportunity area
With a new High Speed 2 (HS2) and Crossrail Station the size of Waterloo, the Old Oak opportunity area is the key development zone within the OPDC. The Further Alterations to the London Plan (2014) identifies it as having the potential to accommodate 24,000 homes and 55,000 jobs. It is a 950 hectare site that straddles the boroughs of Hammersmith & Fulham, Brent and Ealing and encompasses the Park Royal Industrial Estate, Stonebridge Park, Park Royal Cemetery (Acton Cemetery), North Acton Underground Station, Willesden Junction underground and overground stations and Wormwood Scrubs Common. The OPDC will act as a single, transparent and robust body to spearhead the regeneration of this area.
As well as promoting and delivering physical, social, economic and environmental regeneration, the OPDC will also safeguard and develop Park Royal as a strategic industrial location and attract long-term investment to the area, including from overseas. Wormwood Scrubs will continue to be protected by its designation as Metropolitan Open Land and the 1879 Wormwood Scrubs Act. New additional public open spaces are proposed north of Wormwood Scrubs to contribute to meeting the needs and requirements for forthcoming development.
The OPDC will work closely with the three boroughs and all existing businesses across Old Oak Common and Park Royal to protect the businesses and jobs that are so integral to the London economy and the local community. It will also plan for regeneration at Old Oak Common in a way that is sustainable, responds to local needs and supports the strategic long-term priorities in the Mayor’s London Plan and Old Oak Vision Plan. It will also safeguard and regenerate Park Royal as a strategic industrial location and attract long-term investment to the area.
In addition it will secure exemplar sustainable development and investment for the benefit of the area and the communities that surround it. It will also promote world class architecture, sustainable place making and urban design to deliver a new high quality new part of London.
For any questions regarding the Mayoral development area or the OPDC, please email OldOakMDC@london.gov.uk.
Previous consultations - proposed Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation
There were over 600 responses to the Mayor's consultation, in summer 2013, on his vision to regenerate Old Oak.
Old Oak consultation documents and comments received
Between 18 June and 24 September 2014 the Mayor consulted on the principle of taking the leading role in planning for the development and regeneration of Old Oak and Park Royal by putting in place a new Mayoral Development Corporation. Following comments received during the initial consultation, the Mayor proposed two amendments to the boundary of the proposed Mayoral development area and a supplementary consultation was carried out from 5 to 26 November 2014 on these changes. Below is a statement produced by the Mayor which provides a breakdown of the comments received during both consultation periods alongside the Mayor’s response.
Old Oak and Park Royal MDC statement in response to public consultation
Trains at Old Oak
On 17 December 2014, the London Assembly met to consider the Mayor’s proposals to designate a Mayoral development area at Old Oak and Park Royal, and did not vote to reject these proposals. In accordance with the requirements of the Localism Act, the Mayor allowed the London Assembly a 21-day consideration period which ended on 30 December 2014 during which there was no change to the Assembly’s position.
OPDC papers presented to the London Assembly
Related documents Size
MDC boundary black outline map -16 december 2014
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