Plans for a mixed use development, dubbed the ‘Canary Wharf of the railways,’ will be unveiled to the public this week. The £10 billion proposal will regenerate over 100 acres of semi-derelict sidings at Old Oak Common and is expected to create in the region of 90,000 jobs.
At the centre of the scheme will be the new Crossrail hub and the HS2 high-speed rail link from Euston to Birmingham. Furthermore it is hoped that the site will be linked to the Great Western Main Line and the Heathrow Express, making it one of the best connected locations in the UK.
Consultation begins on Friday when residents will be able to view the plans, which Nicholas Botterill, leader of Hammersmith & Fulham Borough Council, believes will “act as a catalyst to create much-needed new homes, jobs and opportunities in one of London’s poorest areas.”
He told the Evening Standard: “We have heard a lot about how HS2 will bridge the north-south divide and regenerate parts of northern England and the Midlands but it also has the potential to transform run-down inner London neighbourhoods right on our doorstep.
“Imagine putting Canary Wharf on top of Britain’s premier high-speed hub station and you will get a flavour of what could be possible.”
The proposals have been drawn up by Mayor Boris Johnson together with the local authorities responsible for the land. Besides Hammersmith & Fulham, the other councils are Brent, Ealing and Kensington & Chelsea. If it gets the go-ahead, the development will take around 30 years to complete.
The deputy mayor for transport, Isabel Dedring, welcomed the proposal which, she says, will relieve pressure on Euston station and “drive significant regeneration in the surrounding area.”
The consultation closes on Friday September 6.
