Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC)

After five successful years at the corporation, OPDC’s Chief Executive David Lunts will be stepping down next year.    Since 2019, David has led OPDC in working closely with residents, boroughs, #government and #rail agencies to produce a new Old Oak #masterplan to create a super-connected canalside district.   With the land and planning foundations for the transformation of Old Oak now firmly in place, and with Dame Karen Buck’s recent appointment as the new OPDC Board chair, #recruitment for a new Chief Executive is now underway, and David will remain in post until they are appointed.   “After five amazing years at OPDC, now is the right time to make way for new leadership as our plans shift towards the appointment of our strategic delivery partners. It has been a privilege to work with such a talented and passionate team who, together with our partners, boroughs, residents and businesses, have put in place the foundations for exciting and lasting change in this incredible part of west London.” – David Lunts   Read the full press release: https://bit.ly/3BiYd52

We're pleased to announce that following a London Assembly confirmation hearing on Monday, Dame Karen Buck has officially been appointed as OPDC's new Chair. She will take up her post on 1st January 2025. Dame Karen’s appointment comes as OPDC gear up #regeneration plans, bringing forward plans for 9,000 new and affordable homes and tens of thousands of jobs, new retail, services, and public open space, in the heart of the OPDC area, creating a new Canalside district for #London around the new #HS2 and the Elizabeth Line at Old Oak Common station. Dame Karen says: "This is such an exciting development with so much potential. I am hugely looking forward to working with the Board and team at OPDC as it moves into the next phase of delivering the homes and jobs London needs." Read more about Dame Karen’s appointment here: https://bit.ly/3OIU3Gk

Our business support, #recruitment and upskilling service, TheForge@ParkRoyal, is hosting an online workshop with finance specialist Elsa Caleb - Business Strategist on Thursday 5th December at 10am on how to access extra funding for your business! Open to businesses based in Brent, Ealing or Hammersmith and Fulham, the workshop will detail the different streams of #business #funding available, the application process and tips to increase your chance of securing funding. Register for free: https://bit.ly/4ijt4Py Find out more about The Forge: https://lnkd.in/e-DSFU7H

Congratulations to our talented #planning team who have been commended for “Excellence in Plan Making Practice” for our Industrial Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) at the 2024 Royal Town Planning Institute Awards for Planning Excellence!   Our Industrial SPD was adopted in November 2023 and provides guidance to applicants on how deliver best practice industrial #developments from a design, #placemaking and #sustainability perspective.   Congratulations to our planning team and all the winners!

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has today announced his intention to appoint Dame Karen Buck as the new chair of OPDC. Dame Karen’s proposed appointment follows the announcement that Liz Peace is stepping down after two successful terms as chair. A former Labour parliamentarian, Dame Karen represented Westminster North (formerly Regent’s Park and Kensington North) for 27 years. As Chair of OPDC, she will be responsible for spearheading the #delivery of tens of thousands of affordable homes and jobs in the capital’s largest brownfield #development site. Sadiq Khan says: "I am delighted to announce my intention to appoint Dame Karen Buck as the new Chair of OPDC. She brings a wealth of experience, expertise and knowledge that will strengthen its ambitious regeneration plans for the capital." Dame Karen will officially take up her post on 1st January 2025, subject to a London Assembly confirmation hearing. Read the press release here: https://bit.ly/40QHPCY

Last week, we welcomed two work experience students who had the opportunity to collaborate with various teams at OPDC. They gained valuable insights into the day-to-day operations of OPDC and experienced the working world first hand! Both students are residents of the OPDC area and found their time here incredibly valuable. They learned about the significant effort involved in managing the UK's largest #regeneration project, attended key meetings, and interacted with #industry professionals. We appreciated their fresh perspectives, and we're proud to be supporting the next generation of real estate #professionals! A special thank you to HS2 (High Speed Two) Ltd for inviting them to visit the #construction site at Old Oak Common Station for a closer look.

We are excited to be one of the government’s first heat network zones. Announced as one of six areas across the UK, we are pioneering new and innovative technology to deliver low-cost, low carbon energy using surplus heat from data centres – enough to heat and power over 10,000 new homes, businesses and a major hospital. We are in the final stages of procurement for a partner to help us develop this innovative new heat network and look forward to sharing exciting updates on this soon! The Old Oak and Park Royal Heat Network Zone will play a key role in the government’s plan to accelerate the delivery of heat networks across England, using our project to inform the work to reduce bills, enhance energy security, and achieve net zero by 2050.  As one of the first heat network zones, we’re leading the way in developing low carbon infrastructure - supporting current and future generations of Londoners in Old Oak and Park Royal to live more sustainability. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eP6NhfcF Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

✨ Relive the magic of the Young Ealing Foundation Awards 2024! ✨ From inspiring stories to unforgettable moments, here are the highlights of a night celebrating the incredible impact of our local heroes. https://lnkd.in/epn5uHX6 Sponsored by Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC). See you next year! 🏆 📽️: Raw Pixels

Thank you to everyone who joined us at our place panel at the London Real Estate Forum on Wednesday! It was great to have a platform to discuss the Old Oak and Park Royal opportunity area in West #London. A big thank you to our Development Director, Marianne Brook and to our contributors; Fiona Scott, Michael Phillips, Cllr Shital Manro and Robert Gordon Clark, See you all next year! #LREF To find out more about our plans for Old Oak, click here 👇 https://bit.ly/455x3bW