Park Royal Road East & West

Following the early stage proposals which were the subject of consultation in early 2022, a planning application was submitted in February 2023 for the redevelopment of two sites on opposite sides of Park Royal Road, North Acton.

Both sites fall within the area administered by the Old Oak and Park Common Development Corporation (OPDC) and it is the Corporation which will consider and decide the planning application.

This website provides key information and aimed to help local residents, businesses and other interest groups have their say throughout the pre-application process. Since submission of the planning application, updates have been provided.

Pre-application consultation (2022)

Local pre-application consultation included:

• A virtual presentation to OPDC’s Community Review Group and receipt of feedback from the community representatives (February 2022);
• A virtual high level briefing of OPDC’s Planning Committee (February 2022);
• The distribution of a community letter (February 2022) to a wide area around the two sites and to local community groups;
• The launching of this website (February 2022);
• The holding of two webinars (March 2022) where a presentation of the early stage proposals was made (you can see the video of this by clicking the download button) and feedback received from participants;
• A presentation in person to OPDC’s Stakeholder Group (September 2022) where further feedback was received from Ealing Councillors and members of community-based groups;
• The distribution of a community newsletter (September 2022 - you can view this in the downloads section of this website) which explained key changes to the proposals and extended an invitation to a public drop-in session; and
• A public drop-in session held on Thursday 15th September 2022 from 2pm to 8pm at the Holiday Inn – London West, 4 Portal Way, North Acton, London W3 6RT. You can view the display boards in our downloads section.

Post-application changes (2023 and 2024)

Since submission and validation of the of the planning application, OPDC has carried out its own statutory consultation. There has also been further dialogue between the applicant and OPDC, which has resulted in two separate rounds of changes to the planning application.

In August 2023 and May 2024, revised and amended planning documents were submitted to OPDC. Due to the significant revisions to the proposals, OPDC will carry out a new round of statutory consultation. This will allow any interested parties to comment on the revised proposals should they so wish.

The best way to get information on both the original (February 2023) planning application and the revised (August 2023 and May 2024) planning application is to visit the OPDC’s Planning Register and enter the reference number 23/0014/FUMOPDC. This will take you to the documents library.

For ease of reference, we have made the Design and Access Statement Addendums for both August 2023 and May 2024 available as downloads as these document give a good summary of the revisions that have been made.

Please use the contact details shown, if you have a question or require further information about the revised proposals.

Summary of the post-application changes

The detail of the revisions is contained in the new suite of documents submitted to OPDC. In summary, the changes to both the eastern and western elements of the original February 2023 application proposal involve:

Block A (east site)

• Improved massing through the reduction in the number of pods from 11 to 10 in each ‘bank’ per floor of the student accommodation resulting in a reduction of 4.82 m off the greatest width of the proposed building, along with 9.78 m off the ‘main’ elevations (comparison between the submitted application and the May 2024 scheme);
• The typical floor layout reduced in August 2023 and this has been reduced further in the May 2024 revisions. This has been achieved by shortening a number of the rooms;
• The further reduction in the floor layout reduces the bulk of the building and makes it slimmer in comparison with the original 2023 scheme. This can be appreciated in the longer distance views;
• The number of studio rooms provided has been reduced from 988 in the original submitted application and August 2023 revised application to 888 in the May 2024 further revised application;
• The May 2024 revision has added more amenity space to the building with the introduction of a ‘sky lounge’ at level 32. The reduction in the number of the studio rooms means that the proportion of amenity space per room has increased and is significantly greater than that found in nearby comparable Purpose Built Student accommodation;
• The building has evolved from its original form to become rotationally symmetrical and allows for a more genuinely all-sided volume when viewed from different angles;
• Improved façade articulation and detail including floor to ceiling windows in the rooms and corridors and the introduction of vertical fins beyond the roof line to create a ‘crown’ on the perimeter of the building. The façade design has also been developed further with input from relevant professionals;
• An improved layout for the proposed light industry uses so that they meet the GLA’s technical requirements featured in the August 2023 revised application including the provision of three smaller industrial units and the raising of the ceiling height to the upper ground floor level by 0.5 m to 4.5 m. The latest 2024 revision involves some reconfiguration to achieve an increase in space of some 192 sq. m;
• The August 2023 revisions provided an improved public realm layout involving the internalisation and adjustment to the size of the service yard, relocation southwards of the ‘pocket park’ to enable separate vehicular access to the northern service yard to remove potential for pedestrian conflict and the location of the main pedestrian entrance to the industrial units on Park Royal Road. Further work has been undertaken on the 2024 revised scheme to enhance landscaping and seating in the public realm; and
• Revisions to the servicing strategy have been implemented in the May 2024 scheme which involve the creation of a separate and dedicated delivery bay on Park Royal Road. This ensures that there are no PBSA refuse vehicles in the light industrial service yard and that the public realm between the pocket park/landscaping on Park Royal Road and the main entrance to the PBSA is continuous and vehicle free.

Block B (west site)

• Omission of six floors (four floors removed in August 2023 and a further two in May 2024), bringing the building almost 16 m below the 48m Tall Building Threshold as defined by OPDC (new height is 32.36 m);
• The building footprint and volume is significantly reduced in the May 2024 revisions;
• The private amenity provision in the May 2024 revisions is changed to projecting balconies;
• Increase in the quantum of family-sized homes to comply with the housing mix targets set out in the OPDC Local Plan and its Strategic Housing Market Assessment. Of the 32 homes provided in the nine-storey revised 2024 proposal, 16 have three bedrooms (50%);
• Children’s playspace has been relocated in the May 2024 scheme from the top of the building to the upper ground floor level, giving it a direct visual connection to the main entrance to the building and its lobby. This exceeds the policy requirement for 0-4 years old playspace and its quality has been enhanced;
• Omission of two parking bays to create more pedestrian space and additional landscaping to create a green and welcoming feel to the main entrance; and
• Widening of the pavement along the frontage of the building on Park Royal Road in the May 2024 revisions to provide a more generous public realm.

Key elements – East and West

The two new development locations are shown on the map. We have also provided a drone video which gives a bird’s eye view of both sites and their relationship with the surrounding area.

Both sites are outside of the Strategic Industrial Location (SIL) to the north which is protected for industrial uses only. The eastern site, closest to the underground line, is in a zone designated for tall buildings.

The draft plans currently envisage two different buildings with different uses on each site. Both will be designed to be Net Zero Carbon and offer a high Urban Greening Factor through extensive use of plants, trees and green roofs.

The latest revised proposals for the eastern site (5-7 Park Royal Road) currently include a building up to 33-storeys in height from (originally 44-storeys) which would provide around 888 (originally 1,200) rooms of student accommodation and associated facilities to include a café/workspace, study areas, classrooms, a cinema/auditorium, gym and break-out spaces.

Operated by ‘The Stay Club’, an established and experienced provider of managed student accommodation with 2,100 existing rooms in Camden, Colindale, Kentish Town and Kilburn, the new building aims to bring forward good quality accommodation and design, contributing to a mixed and inclusive neighbourhood with 24/7 professional management.

A key part of the thinking is that public access will be made available to the on-site facilities.

Also included in the lower parts of the eastern building would be commercial space for industrial uses in ground and lower ground floors.

The western site (Lower Park Trading Estate) has a different approach in both form and uses. The latest revised proposals envisage this to be much lower in height at nine-storeys (originally up to 23-storeys) and aims to provide 32 (originally 161) new affordable homes. They will all be offered as London Affordable Rent (aimed at people on low incomes set by the London Mayor).

At ground floor level there will be two commercial units whereas before they were part Affordable Rent and part Intermediate.

Park Royal Road offers opportunities to provide new landscaping and enhanced pedestrian and cycle routes and a crossing as well as off-street parking for people with disabilities.