Mayor appoints new Board and Planning Committee Members to OPDC as Old Oak scheme takes shape

Type:
Press release
Category:
OPDC updates

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has appointed five new Board Members and one new Planning Committee Member to join his West London development corporation, Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC), which is responsible for delivering one of London’s largest brownfield development opportunities.

The appointments follow an open and competitive procurement process that has demonstrated a strong level of interest with the Board positions attracting more than 200 applicants. The appointees bring extensive senior level experience in broad aspects of designing and delivering major regeneration programmes and will support the delivery of tens of thousands of new and affordable homes and new jobs in the Old Oak and Park Royal Opportunity Area.

The new Board Member appointments fill current and forthcoming Board vacancies and are:

  • Alexander Jan – Chief Economic Adviser, London Property Alliance
  • Alison Dowsett – former Managing Director, Policy and Planning, Berkeley Group
  • Eleanor Young - Director, Blackstock Partnership
  • Sarah McCready - Director of Social Infrastructure and Communications, Barking Riverside Limited
  • Shahi Islam - Director, Affordable Housing, Homes England

There are also changes to OPDC’s Planning Committee. Hannah David, Director of Planning Futures and a former local authority Planning Committee Chair, has been appointed by the Mayor as a Member of the Planning Committee. Alongside Hannah, incoming OPDC Board Member, Eleanor Young, becomes the Planning Committee’s Board nominee. In addition, whilst his term as a Board Member is coming to an end, the Mayor has agreed that William Hill will remain on OPDC’s Planning Committee in his current role as Chair.

Our new Board and Planning Committee appointments further strengthen OPDC’s already experienced and diverse leadership, bringing particular expertise in economic development, affordable housing delivery, strategic planning, major project delivery and engagement and social value. I know that the dedication and passion of our new appointees will support OPDC in its ambitions to deliver lasting positive change for new and existing communities in Old Oak and Park Royal. I look forward to working with them in the years ahead.

Matthew Carpen, incoming Chief Executive of OPDC, who takes up the role on 6 October

The new Board and Planning Committee Members join at an important time for OPDC. With an adopted Local Plan, land assembly well progressed and an illustrative masterplan in place, OPDC’s Old Oak project is making rapid progress. Procurement is set to launch later this year for a private sector partner to join with OPDC to deliver this flagship £10bn scheme.

Following approval from the Mayor, on 12 September, OPDC made a Compulsory Purchase Order (The Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (Old Oak) Compulsory Purchase Order 2025), to secure the remaining land required for the comprehensive regeneration of Old Oak. This will enable the assembly of the few remaining privately owned sites on the approximately 31 hectares of land within the Old Oak development. The Old Oak proposals are designed to utilise public sector brownfield land and to capitalise on the transformational impacts and effects of the new station at Old Oak Common, which will serve HS2, the Elizabeth line and the Great Western Mainline.

On the planning side, OPDC is preparing to review its Local Plan (2018-2038), the strategic planning framework for the 655-hectare Old Oak and Park Royal Opportunity Area, with engagement commencing early next year and consultation set to launch in autumn 2026.

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