Member Article

Government agrees ‘in principle’ to Old Oak land transfer as part of HS2 regeneration

The government has announced that it has agreed in-principle to transfer government-owned land to the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) in West London.

It is hoped the land transfer will unlock massive regeneration at the site, including 25,500 new homes and 65,000 jobs, as part of the HS2 rail development.

Currently London’s largest regeneration site, the government believes the early transfer of land to OPDC, the corporation set up to manage and run development in the area, will speed up work and ensure that the development is as smooth as possible.

Development at Old Oak in West London is to turn the area into a crucial part of London’s transport infrastructure; with visions of a new transport super-hub, where the soon to be completed Crossrail line will meet with HS2 and the Great Western Main Line to connect London with the west and north of the UK.

Regeneration efforts at Old Oak are part of an anticipated UK-wide economic boost provided by the £55bn HS2 project.

Touching upon the benefits he believes the new high-speed rail project will bring, Transport Minister Robert Goodwill said: “HS2 is not just a train line. I have already seen the transformative change that this project is triggering in Old Oak Common, Birmingham and elsewhere even before spades hit the ground next year.

“That is why we’ve brought forward growth funding for northern locations - so they too can maximise the potential for their own region, thanks to HS2.”