Financial Times: "Plans to regenerate London’s Old Oak Common clear hurdle"

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"Plans to build 'the Canary Wharf of west London', including thousands of homes and a railway hub capable of handling 250,000 passengers a day, have taken a big stride forward with the Mayor of London about to be handed overall control of the project.

"Old Oak Common is one of the capital's biggest regeneration opportunities since the Olympics. Bordered by Wormwood Scrubs to the south and Willesden Junction to the north, it is a semi-industrial, semi-derelict site of 155 hectares that straddles three London boroughs.

"... On Tuesday Eric Pickles, the communities and local government secretary, approved the creation of the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation to take control of the site. If parliament approves the body, as expected, it will come into being on April 1 and will be granted full planning powers shortly after.

"... Sir Edward Lister, London’s deputy mayor for policy and planning, said:

"We will be approaching central government for assistance with building some of the infrastructure or to . . . create an enterprise zone and capture the uplift in business rates."