OPDC Decisions

• Date signed: 11/08/23
• Date published: 20/10/23
• 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: 03/07/23
• Date published: 17/10/23
• 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: 18/07/22
• Date published: 20/09/23
• 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: 21/04/23
• Date published: 15/09/23
• 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: 09/03/23
• Date published: 05/09/23
• 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: 08/12/22
• Date published: 31/07/23
• 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: 09/12/22
• Date published: 12/05/23
• 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: 22/03/23
• Date published: 24/03/23
• 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: 01/03/23
• Date published: 06/03/23
• 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: 10/02/23
• Date published: 14/02/23
• 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: 21/09/22
• Date published: 14/12/22
• 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: 26/08/22
• Date published: 14/12/22
• 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: 22/11/22
• Date published: 14/12/22
• 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: 04/10/22
• Date published: 14/12/22
• 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: 23/11/22
• Date published: 14/12/22
• Reference code: DD164

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

• Date signed: 23/11/22
• Date published: 14/12/22
• Reference code: DD163

Expenditure of £2,000 for the permanent recruitment of one Public Practice
Associate as OPDC’s Infrastructure Manager, taking total spend in financial year
22-23 to £12,000.

• Date signed: 26/10/22
• Date published: 14/12/22
• Reference code: DD162

This decision authorises grant expenditure of £50,000 to fund the work undertaken by
the London Borough of Ealing in 2021/22 on the 1 Portal Way Planning Application and
the Old Oak West Strategic Outline Business Case.

• Date signed: 22/08/22
• Reference code: CD184

expenditure of up to £75,000 to procure Exacom’s Planning Obligations Suite software package for a five year licence,

• Date signed: 23/08/22
• Reference code: DD158

The Head of HR & OD approves:
• Expenditure of £20,000 for one year membership of Opportunity London.

• Date signed: 31/05/22
• Reference code: DD157

Expenditure of up to £25,000 to discharge the statutory requirement to publicise planning applications in the local press.