The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has today announced his intention to appoint Dame Karen Buck as the new chair of the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC).

Dame Karen’s proposed appointment follows the announcement that Liz Peace is stepping down after two successful terms as chair. The accomplishments of Liz as Chair – including strengthening OPDC’s leadership, adopting a 20-year planning framework and seeing thousands of affordable homes built have laid a clear delivery path for this nationally significant project.

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.

A champion of housing and the rights of renters, Dame Karen was behind a private member’s bill that led to the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 and has dedicated her career to improving the lives of residents in her former constituency, advocating for communities and campaigning for decent homes.

Dame Karen has extensive experience in regeneration and placemaking and is currently Chair of the South Kilburn Trust, a charity working with residents’ groups, organisations, and businesses to support long term positive change in South Kilburn. She is also Co-Chair of the North Paddington Delivery Board, working with local communities to help shape the future of North Paddington.

Dame Karen’s proposed appointment comes as OPDC gears up its 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 will officially take up her post on 1st January 2025, subject to a London Assembly confirmation hearing.