Plans to transform Old Oak Common with new homes and retail have been given the green light by the local government secretary.
Eric Pickles today gave approval to the project which will be one of the largest regeneration schemes in London for decades, with HS2 and Crossrail stations linking the new part of the capital to the rest of the UK.
Now he has confirmed his support a new body will be created by Parliament to give Mayor Boris Johnson power to go ahead with the plans, called a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) which will oversee the creation of up to 24,000 homes and more than 55,000 jobs, according to the mayor.
If Parliament approves the MDC it will be known as the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) and will come into existence on April 1.
The Mayor believes the OPDC is the best way to unlock the potential of the 950 hectare site which straddles the three boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham, Brent and Ealing and will deliver a £15 billion boost to London’s economy over 30 years, Mr Johnson says.
He added: “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.”
Mr Pickles said housebuilding is key to the government’s long-term economic plan so he feels it is right that delivering new homes is at the heart of the scheme.
The OPDC will be controlled by the Mayor of London and his team, as well as councillors from the three boroughs to ensure accountability. Some planning applications will be sent to the boroughs but most will be decided by the OPDC.
