Again I reported on this in my previous News Updates. I have since attended a meeting of the Grand Union Alliance which is a grouping of the many interested groups (and individuals). Interests range from the strategic views for this whole development area to the very personal effects to which many existing residents will be subjected.

The worry is that the OPDC will just become another vehicle for large developers to promote their interests but on the other hand the possibility exists for something really amazing to come out of it. One of the major worries is that it will take between 18 months to 2 years for the OPDC to develop its Local Plan – with added consultation (Public Inquiry etc.) on top of that : In the meantime developers such as Car Giant are pushing on with their plans and have to be assessed against the Old Oak and Park Royal Opportunity Planning Area Framework (OAPF) which is supplementary planning guidance to the Mayor’s London Plan, although this is not formally adopted yet. Apparently there were 3,500 responses to the consultation on this of which 3,400 were QPR supporters. Remember QPR have no land ownership within the OPDC area at present!

The two main issues at the moment are therefore :

1. The OPDC’s Draft Statement of Community Involvement. This is now published and can be viewed at :
https://www.london.gov.uk/priorities/planning/old-oak-park-royal/planning-authority/consultations

OPDC have appointed an excellent officer Alexandra Day (who Melanie and I have met). She is very keen to make it work.

2. HS2 Petitioning : HS2 continue to proceed in a very high handed way, and this is not helped by communication having to be by way of the Select Committee which is very procedural in an arcane manner. Local residents had to individually petition against proposed layout changes in a format that most people found extremely complex. There are hopes that the House of Lords may come to the rescue and demand some common sense. We will keep pressing for an international architectural competition for the interchange station.