Liz Peace named chair of Old Oak Development Corporation

Liz Peace was named this morning by Sadiq Khan, mayor of London, as his choice for chair of the corporation, although the appointment must still be rubber-stamped by the London Assembly.

Old Oak and Park Royal has the potential for 24,000 new homes, with the new HS2 line and Crossrail due to arrive at the former industrial estate over the next decade.

The corporation has full planning powers over the 650-hectare boundary, which spans three London boroughs. It was established by former mayor Boris Johnson in April 2015.

A release from City Hall this morning said among Ms Peace’s “first priorities” will be to implement the recommendations of a review which had been critical of the former mayor’s handling of scheme.

The release said Ms Peace and Mr Khan will “make a clear case to ministers that they will only agree to a land deal that is in the best interests of London and that the government must provide financial support”.

Mr Khan said: “I am looking forward to working with Liz Peace so that we can secure the best possible scheme for all Londoners.

“That means delivering the highest level of genuinely affordable homes possible and correcting the mistakes made by Boris Johnson to ensure that we only enter into a land agreement with the government that is in the best interests of the city.”

Ms Peace added: “The project is not without its challenges – but large-scale regeneration is never easy. The prize, however, will be a series of high quality places in which Londoners will be able to live and work – and all within reach of world class new transport infrastructure.”

There are approximately 11,000 homes in the planning system at Old Oak. Work on the first major scheme, Oaklands, is due to commence shortly.

A target of 40% affordable housing has been agreed for this 605-home development.