The Mayor of London has written to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles confirming his plans to establish the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC).
The Secretary of State will now lay an order before Parliament in early 2015 to create the OPDC. It is expected that the new body will come into existence with full planning powers over the entire site on 01 April 2015.
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 £15 billion 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 boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham, Brent and Ealing.
‘By 2030 the sprawling industrial land at Old Oak Common could be a thriving new district teeming with tens of thousands of new homes and jobs and a rail station the size of Waterloo. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to transform this site and there is no doubt that a Mayoral Development Corporation is the best way to unlock its enormous potential,’ said Mayor Boris Johnson.
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.
Five of the nation's airports will be linked to the high speed rail network for the first time through the Old Oak Common Station. Central London and Heathrow will be just 10 minutes away, Birmingham will be 40 minutes direct from Old Oak Common and Luton, Gatwick and City Airport will all be within 45 minutes.
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 would also take on planning powers across the Old Oak and Park Royal area, including determination of planning applications. The Corporation will also be able to set a Community Infrastructure Levy.
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. The OPDC will delegate certain planning applications back to the local councils for determination.
The proposed OPDC will cover the area encompassing the Park Royal Industrial Estate, Stonebridge Park, Park Royal Cemetery (Acton Cemetery), the core development site at Old Oak, North Acton Underground Station, Willesden Junction underground and overground stations and Wormwood Scrubs Common.
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 would work closely with the three boroughs and all existing businesses across Old Oak Common and Park Royal. This would include working with existing businesses to support potential relocations to protect the businesses and jobs that are so integral to the London economy and the local community.
It would also look to regenerate, develop and transform Old Oak Common, in a way that is sustainable, meets 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 high quality sustainable development and investment for the benefit of the area and the communities that surround it. It would also promote world class architecture, sustainable place making and urban design to deliver a new high quality new part of London.
