There have been no new major site applications. The updated Local Plan originally planned for the Spring will not now be ready until the Summer – and this is thought to be due to the difficulties of reconciling the proposals with the realisation that the huge area of land required for the Crossrail Elizabeth line sidings cannot be built over economically and therefore will radically reduce the area of land available for development.

Other uncertainties persist too such as the brief for the HS2/Crossrail interchange station which is reputed to be subject of a major international competition, and of course the funding of all the massive  infrastructure elements of the project. To compound OPDC’s difficulties, the resignation of Victoria Hills, Chief Executive was recently announced, to be followed shortly by the news that Monica Kaur, the senior community engagement officer is also leaving. Victoria was appointed when OPDC was formally created as a Development Corporation in April 2015. It is now rumoured that Sadiq Khan may be wanting to disband OPDC and claw the whole operation back under the GLA. However, two new Board members have just been appointed by the Mayor – both of whom are ‘international property experts’. Watch this space!

 

In the meantime, TfL have published the results of their consultation on the two overground railway stations : Unsurprisingly the two stations received massive local support. We just hope that they also take notice of the concerns expressed by us and others over the detail and massively extravagant design, and that the money can be found to build them.