OPDC Decisions

• Date signed: Thursday 5 October 2023
• Date published: Friday 12 January 2024
• Reference code: CD196

In March 2023, OPDC approved a delegation to the Chief Executive Officer to approve expenditure of up to £2.3m on the commercialisation phase of the Heat Network project. This proposal seeks funding to support studies investigating proposed pipework routes for a District Heating Network, which will result in improvements to the wider Heat Network project design. This funding will enable OPDC to conduct Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Topographical surveys in West London.

• Date signed: Tuesday 10 January 2023
• Date published: Friday 12 January 2024
• Reference code: DD167

As the Old Oak West scheme develops there is a need to produce high-quality, compelling and engaging materials to effectively communicate the opportunity at Old Oak West with impact. OPDC has a requirement to build tangible support from key stakeholders and decision makers. Over the next 12-months OPDC is engaging with senior ministers, developers, investors, wider industry and the public. To support these important engagements, including site visits, ministerial meetings and industry events, OPDC requires supporting communications materials.

• Date signed: Thursday 14 September 2023
• Date published: Friday 12 January 2024
• Reference code: DD174

OPDC will procure a combined independent evaluator. They will be responsible for assessing the business plans for loan applications over £50,000 as well as providing an independent evaluation of the loan fund pilot. Combining these roles provides OPDC with the best value for money and ensures that the programme evaluation will benefit from the insights gleaned from individual applications.

• Date signed: Thursday 7 September 2023
• Date published: Friday 5 January 2024
• Reference code: DD176

This decision seeks approval for the licence renewal and maintenance of the existing ‘APAS’ planning software by Agile Applications in the financial year 2023/24 to ensure that the statutory functions of the Development Management service are maintained.

• Date signed: Friday 25 August 2023
• Date published: Tuesday 31 October 2023
• Reference code: DD175

OPDC is currently delivering a series of public realm improvements to Harlesden Canalside, from capital funding secured through the Mayor’s Good Growth Fund. This Decision requests approval to pay a refundable deposit and bond plus fees to Brent Council to allow them to grant a S278 Licence, which will enable improvement works to Steel Road, an integral element to the project, to go ahead.

• Date signed: Friday 11 August 2023
• Date published: Friday 20 October 2023
• Reference code: CD194

OPDC have secured £36m from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s (DESNZ) Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF) for the development of an Energy Network that takes waste heat from Data Centres within Park Royal. £1m of that funding has been allocated for expenditure for the next phase of the project, the commercialisation phase. The GLA are providing an additional £1.3m for
this project.

• Date signed: Monday 3 July 2023
• Date published: Tuesday 17 October 2023
• Reference code: DD172

OPDC as a Local Planning Authority has a statutory duty to advertise certain types of planning applications in the local press. As such, relevant planning applications are publicised in the Brent and Kilburn Times, and/or the West London Gazette. Wavemaker is the approved GLA Group media supplier and acts as liaison between OPDC and the local newspapers. Approval is sought to spend up to £20,000 to publicise planning applications in the local press during 2023/24.

• Date signed: Monday 18 July 2022
• Date published: Wednesday 20 September 2023
• Reference code: CD182

The Board in March 2022 approved a delegation to the Chief Executive Officer to approve expenditure in Financial Year (FY) 2022-23 of up to £800,000 (the ‘OOW delivery budget’). This expenditure is to support the development of OPDC’s planning strategy and the production of an Outline Business Case (OBC) for Old Oak West (OOW). At the same meeting, the Board also approved a delegation to the Chief Executive Officer to approve the expenditure of drawn funds (the “Land Fund budget”) up to £750,000. This expenditure is to support the delivery of investment through the Land Fund facility.

OPDC will use the expenditure to procure a range of technical specialists over the coming year, supporting the development of OPDC’s planning strategy and the production of an OBC for OOW. The appointments will be procured from the Transport for London (TfL) Professional Services Framework and, following commission, managed by OPDC.

• Date signed: Friday 21 April 2023
• Date published: Friday 15 September 2023
• Reference code: DD170

A major planning application was submitted by GMD Developments Ltd (“the applicant”) to OPDC on 14 March 2023 for the site at Holiday Inn Express, Victoria Road in North Acton. The proposal comprises the demolition of the existing hotel and redevelopment of the site through construction of a 35-storey building comprising 699 student bedrooms; and construction of a 17-storey building comprising 91 build-to-rent (BTR) residential units. The OPDC requires an independent and detailed review of the submitted FVA to assist in securing the maximum public benefit from the development including the maximum reasonable amount of affordable housing.

• Date signed: Thursday 9 March 2023
• Date published: Tuesday 5 September 2023
• Reference code: CD 190

Approval is sought for expenditure for a series of activities to support the examination and adoption of OPDC’s Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Charging Schedule. CIL is a planning charge that can be used to fund essential infrastructure to support development.

• Date signed: Thursday 8 December 2022
• Date published: Monday 31 July 2023
• Reference code: CD186

OPDC secured £1,950,004 in capital funding through rounds 1 and 2 of the Mayor’s Good Growth Fund to deliver a series of public realm improvements around Willesden Junction Station and along the Grand Union Canal that will bring improvements to the area and celebrate local identity and heritage.

• Date signed: Friday 9 December 2022
• Date published: Friday 12 May 2023
• Reference code: CD 189

The Chief Executive Officer approves:

expenditure of up to £115,000 across the 2022/23 and 2023/24 Planning Policy budget for consultation, designation, adoption, evidence base and review of various activities, with the commitment of expenditure in 2023/24 subject to approval of the Mayor’s consolidated Budget in February 2023.

• Date signed: Wednesday 22 March 2023
• Date published: Friday 24 March 2023
• Reference code: CD193

The Chief Executive approves:

Grant expenditure of £54,975 in 2023/24 towards the costs of Park Royal Business Group (PRBG) employing a full time PRBG manager and running an associated programme of businesses events, outreach and network building. CD151 previously authorised expenditure of £95,000 towards the cost of PRBG manager between March 2020 – March 2022. This will take the cumulative expenditure to £149,975.

• Date signed: Wednesday 1 March 2023
• Date published: Monday 6 March 2023
• Reference code: CD192

That the Chief Executive approves:

The grant funding of £50,000 to Architecture 00 Ltd to administer the delivery of small grants to businesses in the Old Park Royal area, which is sourced from OPDC’s core RED Programme budget for 2022/23.

• Date signed: Friday 10 February 2023
• Date published: Tuesday 14 February 2023
• Reference code: DD168

That the Director of Planning approves:
• Revised expenditure from £40,000 to £46,731.18 for consultancy services to assess potential demand for an eastern access route connecting Scrubs Lane to Old Oak Common Station and Old Oak Common Lane, and a southern connection through Wormwood Scrubs, and to produce data and recommendations for a preliminary business case.
• A single source exemption from OPDC’s Contracts and Funding Code to appoint Mott Macdonald without a competitive procurement.

• Date signed: Wednesday 21 September 2022
• Date published: Wednesday 14 December 2022
• Reference code: CD187

This decision requests approval from the Chief Executive Officer to procure consultancy support to develop the Affordable Workspace Delivery Plan (Delivery Plan).

• Date signed: Friday 26 August 2022
• Date published: Wednesday 14 December 2022
• Reference code: CD183

expenditure of up to £53,450 for the provision of public health advice by the GLA
Group Public Health Function to OPDC during 2022/23 and 2023/24.

• Date signed: Tuesday 22 November 2022
• Date published: Wednesday 14 December 2022
• Reference code: DD165

Expenditure of £12,000 from the Planning Directorate budget for the renewal of the
Vu.City 3D urban modelling digital platform for two calendar years from 2022 to
2024.

• Date signed: Tuesday 4 October 2022
• Date published: Wednesday 14 December 2022
• Reference code: CD188

This decision seeks approval for expenditure towards an open call process for the Acton and Park Royal Creative Enterprise Zone (CEZ).

• Date signed: Wednesday 23 November 2022
• Date published: Wednesday 14 December 2022
• Reference code: DD164

Expenditure of £28,880 to host a Future of London Emerging Talent placement for a
nine-month period