Building: "Boris appointed [himself] as chairman of Old Oak Common Development Corporation"

"Mayor of London Boris Johnson has been appointed chairman of the new Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC).

[Sir Edward Lister is appointed Vice-Chairman.]

"The appointment of Johnson as chairman will see the Mayor take an active role in the redevelopment of the 46 hectare site which is expected to be home to a new HS2 interchange station and approximately 24,000 new homes.

"The OPDC will come into existence on 1 April and have development powers over the Old Oak Common site, which will be similar to the London Legacy Development Corporation's role in the Olympic Park.

"The appointment comes as the Mayor published the latest version of the London plan, which sets out how the capital will manage growth up to 2036.

"The Mayor of London has adopted a number of alterations to the existing plan including a commitment to build 42,000 homes per year, up 10,000 from the previous plan.

"Despite the rise the figure is however still short of the 49,000 homes which it is estimated are needed to meet London’s housing shortfall, with London’s population is expected to reach 10million people by 2036.

"The revised plan also includes measures for specialist housing for the elderly and measures to protect local pubs in each of London's 33 boroughs if it can be demonstrated that they are 'community assets'.

"The new plan will also increase the total number of Opportunity Areas – which are designed to maximise delivery of new housing and offices within London - from 33 to 38.

"The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said:

"The London Plan is quite literally the capital’s planning Bible – driving development and setting out exactly what is and is not acceptable as we work to build a cleaner, greener, safer city that abounds opportunity, talent and economic activity.

As the capital continues to flourish over the next few years, we will need to create hundreds of thousands of new homes and jobs and the London Plan will be crucial in allowing us to sustain our position as the best big city in the world."