Imperial College London and Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) have entered into a new strategic partnership that will accelerate West London’s innovation economy and support Old Oak’s emergence as a powerhouse for entrepreneurship, regeneration and inward investment.
The partnership brings together two anchor institutions for West London: OPDC, the Mayoral Development Corporation leading the regeneration of the 650-hectare Old Oak and Park Royal Opportunity Area, covering parts of three London boroughs, Brent, Ealing and Hammersmith & Fulham; and Imperial, the world-leading STEMB institution.
Imperial is a long-term owner and investor in Old Oak, with landholdings in the area that span more than 17 acres, and ambitious plans for investment and regeneration of the area. Old Oak Innovation Cluster is an anchor of WestTech London, the frontier innovation ecosystem that is unlocking the potential of West London’s innovation landscape to create jobs, attract investment and drive growth.
With the new strategic partnership, OPDC and Imperial will focus on harnessing the power of innovation and knowledge-intensive industries to drive inclusive economic opportunity. They will work together to realise the full potential of Old Oak as a hub for cutting-edge research and high-growth businesses which deliver positive outcomes for local communities.
Under the agreement, OPDC and Imperial will collaborate to:
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Grow an innovation-led, knowledge-economy cluster at Old Oak and the OPDC Opportunity Area which will deliver inclusive growth.
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Create thriving new working neighbourhoods through exceptional place-making and regeneration, which deliver jobs and homes for all.
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Boost local economic prosperity by developing and upskilling the talent pipeline needed for the industries of today and the future.
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Strengthen collaboration across West London’s universities, building an exemplar Higher Education Institution (HEI) cluster.
The agreement comes as OPDC launches procurement for its flagship Old Oak regeneration - a 70-acre development of public land with a projected value of around £10 billion. Backed by an endorsed masterplan, Old Oak will deliver 8,000 new homes, 20 acres of public realm, 6 acres of green space and up to 200,000 square metres of commercial and community space. The regeneration is anchored by Old Oak Common station, connecting HS2, Elizabeth line, Great Western Mainline and Heathrow Express services. This will create rapid train links to established innovation zones, including Euston, Barts Life Sciences, Birmingham Innovation Quarter and Oxford, helping to unlock opportunities for collaboration in London and beyond.
Imperial continues to invest in Old Oak Innovation Cluster and expand its presence. The March opening of Grapht Works, a 9.6 acre advanced manufacturing hub which offers scale-up space for high growth companies working in prototyping, pilot manufacturing, Good Manufacturing Practice and advanced manufacturing, has since welcomed numerous science and innovation businesses, and at 1 Portal Way, which will launch 55,000 sq ft of fully fitted, affordable lab and office space designed to meet the needs of scaling science and tech firms in summer 2026.
Established by Imperial College London, WestTech London unites stakeholders around a shared mission to unlock the potential of West London’s innovation landscape. This capitalises on its world-class universities and research institutions, diverse talent pool, rich industrial heritage and major transport links to the rest of the UK and the world to deliver a thriving ecosystem that creates jobs, attracts investment and drives inclusive economic growth. WestTech London is anchored by Imperial across four major research and innovation clusters – Albertopolis, Paddington Life Sciences, White City Innovation District and Old Oak Innovation Cluster – and unites the wider West London innovation economy connecting key science, healthcare and innovation-led growth areas, including Earls Court, led by the Earls Court Development Company.
It is a rare opportunity to join together one of the world's leading universities and a Mayoral Development Corporation charged with delivering a major new piece of the UK's capital city. Global success is made in local places, and our shared ambition is to create a world-class hub for tech, research and business, generating thousands of jobs in a thriving, super connected West London community. With major anchor uses taking shape, Old Oak is emerging as a key destination for London – a place where innovation, opportunity and investment can come together. Our success will be defined by how we deliver inclusive growth that benefits existing and new communities and the wider capital.
We are pleased that OPDC is already supporting WestTech London’s mission to unlock the power of innovation in West London and ignite growth not just for London, but nationwide. OPDC are responsible for a once-in-a-generation urban regeneration programme that has the power to transform the future of West London. This strategic collaboration agreement reflects our shared ambition for the transformation of Old Oak and belief in its potential to become a nationally significant location for innovation, entrepreneurship and inclusive growth. Old Oak is ideally positioned to be the hub which brings together established and emerging innovation zones across London and nationwide, creating corridors of unrivalled connectivity and economic opportunity.