Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation

Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation
Name	Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation
Formation	2015
Type	Mayoral development corporation
Headquarters	London
Jurisdiction	London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, London Borough of Ealing, London Borough of Brent
Leader title	Chair
Leader name	Rothschild (former chair)

Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation is a Mayoral development corporation established to oversee a major regeneration area in west London, including Old Oak Common and Park Royal. The corporation was created to coordinate land assembly, planning consent, and infrastructure delivery within a large redevelopment zone located near Heathrow Airport, Euston railway station, and the Grand Union Canal. Its remit intersects with entities such as Network Rail, Transport for London, and the Greater London Authority.

Background and Establishment

The corporation was established following policy decisions by Boris Johnson as Mayor of London, subsequent implementation by the Greater London Authority, and statutory orders under the Localism Act 2011 and associated planning legislation. The designation responded to proposed transport investments including High Speed 2, the Elizabeth line, and existing Great Western Main Line services, and aimed to unlock brownfield sites adjacent to Wormwood Scrubs, North Acton, and Old Oak Common Lane. Early partnership discussions involved landowners such as Deutsche Bahn, Cadent Gas, and commercial estates including Park Royal Partnership.

Governance and Organizational Structure

The corporation's governance framework aligned with statutory models used for other development corporations such as London Legacy Development Corporation and involved a board appointed by the Mayor of London in consultation with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. Board membership has included representatives from boroughs including Ealing Council, Hammersmith and Fulham Council, and Brent Council, and stakeholders from Network Rail, Transport for London, and private sector institutions such as Grosvenor Group and institutional investors like Legal & General. Its executive team worked with specialist consultants from firms such as Arup (company), AECOM, and PwC to prepare corporate plans, statutory consents, and regeneration strategies.

Masterplan and Development Projects

The corporation produced a masterplan addressing mixed-use development, housing provision, and employment zones, drawing on precedents from Canary Wharf, King's Cross, London, and Battersea Power Station. Proposed projects included phased residential neighborhoods, commercial campuses in the Park Royal Industrial Estate, and cultural spaces proximate to Old Oak Common station and the Wembley Stadium corridor. Delivery partners and developers engaged included L & Q, Derwent London, Imperial College London spinouts, and international investors such as Qatar Investment Authority and HSBC Holdings. Plans referenced infrastructure funding mechanisms used at Nine Elms and regeneration models from Croydon.

Transport and Infrastructure Integration

Integration with transport projects was central, coordinating with High Speed 2 to site Old Oak Common station as a major interchange linking West Coast Main Line, Great Western Main Line, and the Elizabeth line. The corporation collaborated with Network Rail and Transport for London on bus corridors, cycling routes connecting to the London Cycle Network, and active travel schemes inspired by The Mayor's Transport Strategy. Utilities and utilities partners such as Cadent Gas and Thames Water were engaged to upgrade capacity, while land assembly negotiations referenced landholdings by DB Cargo UK and rail depots used by Great Western Railway.

Economic, Social, and Environmental Impact

Projected benefits invoked job creation comparable to large-scale schemes at King's Cross, London and Canary Wharf, targeting offices for sectors represented by City of London financial clusters and light industrial floorspace for businesses from Park Royal Industrial Estate. Housing targets aimed to contribute to London-wide objectives reflected in the London Plan, involving affordable housing providers like Peabody Trust and Clarion Housing Group. Environmental measures referenced remediation practice from London Docklands Development Corporation projects, BREEAM standards overseen by BRE Group, and canal-side biodiversity initiatives tied to Canal & River Trust. Social infrastructure planning considered proximity to hospitals such as Charing Cross Hospital and schools administered by Department for Education frameworks.

Controversies and Community Response

The corporation encountered critique from local campaigners including tenants’ groups in Old Oak, community organisations in Park Royal, and trade unions representing workers in industrial estates. Concerns echoed disputes seen in other regeneration programmes such as at Barking Riverside and involved debates about compulsory purchase powers, referencing cases under the Compulsory Purchase Act 1965 and judicial review actions heard in the High Court of Justice. Issues raised included displacement of industrial jobs tied to firms like UPS (company), adequacy of affordable housing allocations relative to targets in the London Plan, and transparency in developer selection involving advisers from Savills and CBRE Group. Public consultations involved stakeholders such as Historic England over heritage assets and Environment Agency over flood risk from the Grand Union Canal corridor.

Category:London regeneration