Boris Johnson’s flagship regeneration scheme at Old Oak Common is in danger of turning into London’s “worst cock-up in 50 years”, a leading government adviser warned today.
Urban planner Sir Terry Farrell said the £10 billion development, the biggest in Britain, is heading for disaster because of the rush to finish Crossrail.
He blamed politicians for ducking key decisions and said the Mayor was partly responsible for a shortsighted “pass the parcel” approach. Sir Terry said: “If a tenth of the energy he put into the Boris island airport idea had gone into Old Oak Common I feel sure it would have happened without a problem.”
Old Oak Common in west London is 100 acres of railway lines, sidings and depots south of the Grand Union Canal as well as down-at-heel industrial estates and the Cargiant second-hand car supermarket to the canal’s north.
More than 25,000 homes and 55,000 jobs are due to be created there over the next 15 years, supported by 250,000 passengers a year using a transport super-hub with Crossrail, HS2, Tube and Overground stations all close to each other.
However, Sir Terry said the rush to complete Crossrail — now renamed the Elizabeth line — meant that much of the development cannot take place.
This is because engineers working on Crossrail are not making space for the pilings that would support construction of offices, homes, shops and restaurants on decking over the lines.
Without the decking, the 12,000 homes south of the canal could not be built and a planned development at the Cargiant site would be far less viable, he said. Redesigning the sidings to make space for the pilings would take several months and cost up to £200 million.
Sir Terry, whose 2011 vision document for Hammersmith and Fulham council was the first detailed study of the potential for Old Oak Common, said: “We’ve been trying to influence and lobby for five years but everyone had just talked and talked, it’s just been pass the parcel. This is probably the biggest cock-up that I’ve seen in my career of 50 years in London.”
Transport for London has said the Crossrail depot could relocate in future to make way for development south of the canal but Sir Terry said this would cost £1 billion and was not realistic.
Last year the Mayor set up the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC), chaired by deputy mayor Sir Eddie Lister, to manage the project. A spokesman for Mr Johnson said: “The Mayor, OPDC, Transport for London and the Government are working together to ensure the full regeneration potential of this site is unlocked.
“Over time, this site can provide 65,000 new jobs and 25,500 badly needed homes. This development will be brought forward, but needs to be delivered in a way that does not delay or disrupt Crossrail, which is critical to meeting London’s transport challenge.”