Old Oak Common
Old Oak Common is a semi-industrial district in West London, located within the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham between Harlesden and Acton, historically centered on railway operations including the former Old Oak Common Traction Maintenance Depot.[1][2] The area gained prominence with the establishment of Great Western Railway facilities in the early 1900s, serving as a key maintenance and stabling site for locomotives and rolling stock until the depot's decommissioning in 2021 to accommodate modern infrastructure.[3][4] Today, Old Oak Common is undergoing extensive redevelopment as the location for a new flagship railway station designed as the primary London terminus for High Speed 2 (HS2), featuring fourteen platforms and integrating services from HS2, the Elizabeth Line, Great Western Railway, London Overground, and Heathrow Express to form one of the UK's most connected transport interchanges.[5][6] This £1 billion station project, the largest newly constructed in the UK, anchors broader regeneration efforts across over 100 acres, projected to deliver 25,000 new homes and 56,000 jobs while leveraging the site's strategic rail connectivity to drive economic growth.[7][8]Geography and Demographics
Location and Boundaries
Old Oak Common is a semi-industrial locality in West London, England, lying within the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in Greater London. It is positioned approximately 7 km northwest of Charing Cross, between the districts of Harlesden to the northeast and Acton to the west. The area forms part of the College Park and Old Oak electoral ward, which encompasses both residential neighborhoods like College Park and the more infrastructural Old Oak Common zone centered around historical railway facilities.[1][9] The boundaries of Old Oak Common are primarily delineated by major transport features and administrative lines. To the north, the Grand Union Canal serves as a natural boundary, with the London Borough of Brent (including Willesden Junction) beyond. The eastern edge follows the West London Line, separating it from areas in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea such as North Kensington. To the south, it adjoins Wormwood Scrubs and the Great Western Main Line, while the western limit aligns with Scrubs Lane and the North Pole depot area extending toward Park Royal in Ealing. These limits reflect both historical railway land uses and the broader ward configuration established for local governance.[10][9][11]Land Use and Environmental Features
Old Oak Common's land is predominantly occupied by extensive railway infrastructure, including sidings, depots, and maintenance facilities that support operations for Network Rail, London Underground, and London Overground services. The Old Oak Common depot, a key asset, handles the servicing and stabling of multiple train fleets, covering approximately 50 hectares of rail-related uses.[12] Remaining areas feature industrial and commercial activities, such as waste processing sites and a large car dealership, reflecting the site's historical role in logistics and heavy industry.[13] As a brownfield location, the terrain exhibits environmental degradation from decades of railway and industrial operations, including soil contamination from hydrocarbons, metals, and other pollutants associated with fuel storage and maintenance activities. Remediation efforts have been undertaken, particularly for HS2-related works, involving ground improvement, tank removals, and waste management to address legacy pollution.[14] Current ecological features are limited, with sparse vegetation adapted to disturbed soils and minimal biodiversity due to intensive land use; however, proximity to the Grand Union Canal provides some riparian habitat influence, though overall green cover remains low at under 10% of the area.[15] Air quality challenges persist from transport emissions, with nitrogen dioxide levels historically exceeding targets in adjacent roads like Old Oak Common Lane.[16]Historical Background
Origins and Early Development
Old Oak Common was originally an expanse of common land in the Hammersmith area, bordered to the north by the ancient Harrow Road and to the east by the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal, which opened in 1801.[4] The terrain consisted of low-lying, poorly drained meadows suitable mainly for grazing, with limited agricultural potential due to frequent flooding from the nearby River Brent.[17] Enclosure of the common occurred in the early 1860s, subdividing the land amid broader parliamentary enclosures that privatized open fields across England.[17] This process coincided with the expansion of London's transport infrastructure; the Grand Junction Railway (predecessor to the London and North Western Railway) had opened its line through the vicinity in 1837, facilitating freight and passenger services to the northwest.[2] However, substantive development awaited the Great Western Railway (GWR), which established its Paddington terminus in 1838 and sought expanded facilities for locomotive maintenance. The pivotal early development came with the construction of the Old Oak Common locomotive depot by the GWR, opened on 17 March 1906 to replace the inadequate Westbourne Park shed built in 1852.[18] Designed under Chief Mechanical Engineer G.J. Churchward, the depot featured a pioneering rectangular layout with roundhouse-style servicing sheds, accommodating up to 200 locomotives and serving as a model for subsequent GWR facilities.[2] This infrastructure solidified Old Oak Common's role as a key railway hub, drawing industrial activity and workers to the formerly rural site, though the surrounding area remained sparsely settled into the interwar period.[19]Railway Expansion and Industrial Growth
The construction of the Old Oak Common locomotive and carriage depot by the Great Western Railway marked a significant phase in the area's railway expansion, beginning in January 1904 and completing in March 1906 at a cost of £110,000. Designed by engineer George Jackson Churchward, the facility was built to alleviate overcrowding at Paddington and Westbourne Park depots, accommodating larger locomotives and providing comprehensive maintenance capabilities, including an engine shed, lifting shop, four turntables, carriage pits, and a 30-ton crane. This development transformed previously agricultural common land into a major railway hub, with the depot opening on 17 March 1906.[2][18] Expansions in the interwar period further enhanced the site's capacity, reflecting the growing demands of rail traffic. In 1927, a refuse destructor and water softening plant were added to support operations. Between 1935 and 1940, under a government works scheme costing £303,000, a new carriage repair depot was constructed, featuring a paint shop measuring 592 feet by 69 feet 6 inches and a lifting shop of 412 feet by 70 feet 5 inches, completed in April 1940. These upgrades solidified Old Oak Common as the last remaining "factory" repair facility on the GWR network, handling steam locomotives, carriages, and later diesel units.[2] The railway infrastructure spurred industrial growth in Old Oak Common and adjacent areas like North Acton and Park Royal during the early 20th century. The depot and associated sidings, including the largest passenger marshalling yard opened in 1906, generated substantial employment and facilitated freight access, attracting manufacturers such as Wall's sausages in 1919 and Heinz, which leveraged rail connections for mass production and distribution. This connectivity supported a skilled workforce and economic expansion, shifting the region from rural grazing to an industrial corridor integrated with London's rail network.[17][2]Decline and Post-Industrial Era
The transition from steam to diesel and electric traction following the nationalization of British Railways in 1948 marked the beginning of significant changes at Old Oak Common depot. The steam locomotive shed, a key facility since 1906, closed on 22 March 1965, with the final steam allocations withdrawn amid the broader modernization of the network.[20] Demolition of the engine shed, which had housed four 65-foot turntables, occurred in the mid-1960s as the site was repurposed for diesel maintenance, reflecting the rationalization of facilities under British Rail's cost-cutting measures.[21] Surrounding industrial activities, which had boomed interwar with factories and canal-related trade, faced post-war contraction. Commercial traffic on the Grand Union Canal dwindled through the 1950s and 1960s due to competition from road transport and rail electrification.[22] By the 1970s and 1980s, employment in the wider Old Oak and Park Royal area declined sharply, shifting from heavy manufacturing—such as munitions and engineering—to warehousing and distribution; numerous pre-war factories were demolished to accommodate these lighter uses or left vacant.[23] The Beeching Report of 1963, which recommended widespread closures to stem railway losses, indirectly impacted Old Oak Common by reducing freight and passenger services on connected lines, though the depot itself persisted for maintenance.[24] Combined with national deindustrialization trends, these changes left much of the low-lying, poorly drained locale with a semi-derelict character, featuring underused sidings, derelict warehouses, and contaminated land from historical railway and industrial operations.[25] The original passenger station, operational since 1906, had ceased services in 1947, further diminishing local connectivity and contributing to the area's isolation.[26] Despite ongoing depot functions into the late 20th century, the post-industrial landscape underscored a broader retreat from the site's Victorian-era prominence as a rail and manufacturing hub.Existing Transport Infrastructure
Railway Depots and Sidings
The Old Oak Common railway depot originated in 1906, when the Great Western Railway opened an engine shed and carriage depot designed by George Jackson Churchward to serve as the primary maintenance facility for locomotives and rolling stock in London.[27] This site handled repairs and servicing for steam locomotives on the Western Region until the widespread adoption of diesel and electric traction in the mid-20th century.[28] The traction maintenance depot (TMD), coded 81A under British Railways, continued operations for diesel locomotives until its final closure on December 8, 2018, marking the end of over a century of heavy maintenance activities at the location.[29] In parallel with the TMD's decommissioning, Transport for London constructed a modern depot on the site to support the Elizabeth line, with operations commencing on May 10, 2018, and full functionality achieved by July 2018.[30] This facility includes a 9-road maintenance shed, train washing equipment, and extensive stabling sidings capable of accommodating up to 42 of the Elizabeth line's 70 Class 345 trains for overnight parking, light maintenance, and servicing.[31] The depot enables efficient turnaround and circulation of units along the Great Western Main Line west of Old Oak Common, enhancing operational flexibility for MTR Elizabeth line's services to Heathrow Airport and Reading.[32] Adjacent sidings continue to function for stabling additional rolling stock, supporting regional and commuter services on the Great Western Main Line, though primary heavy maintenance has shifted to other facilities following the TMD closure.[27] The site's infrastructure, spanning approximately 25 hectares historically dedicated to railway operations, remains integral to freight avoidance and train pathing in northwest London.[33]Current Connections and Services
The Old Oak Common depot functions as a key maintenance and stabling facility for Transport for London's Elizabeth Line, housing up to 42 of the fleet's 70 Class 345 Aventra trains at any given time.[31] Equipped for both light and heavy maintenance, the depot includes specialized infrastructure such as maintenance roads, a wheel lathe, twin equipment drop pits, synchronized train jacking facilities, and an underframe cleaning system.[33] No passenger railway station exists at Old Oak Common as of October 2025, with the nearest operational stations being Paddington to the east on the Great Western Main Line (GWML) and Willesden Junction to the northwest. Elizabeth Line services, which share tracks with the GWML west of Paddington, traverse the area without stopping, providing commuter connections from Heathrow Airport, Reading, and Maidenhead to central London and beyond to Shenfield. Great Western Railway (GWR) operates intercity, regional, and local trains along the same corridor, linking London Paddington to destinations including Oxford, Bristol, and South Wales, though these services also bypass Old Oak Common.[5] The depot connects directly to the Elizabeth Line via dedicated sidings, enabling efficient turnaround and servicing of trains during off-peak hours or overnight. This infrastructure supports the line's high-frequency operations, with up to 24 trains per hour in core sections, but does not interface with passenger services at the site itself. Sidings and yards in the vicinity also accommodate occasional freight movements on the Dudding Hill Line and North London Line, though these see limited usage compared to passenger rail activities.[6]Regeneration Initiatives
Establishment of Development Bodies
The Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) was established on 1 April 2015 as a Mayoral Development Corporation under the authority of the Mayor of London.[34] This creation followed the passage of the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (Establishment) Order 2015, a statutory instrument approved by Parliament in January 2015, which defined its operational boundaries and powers.[35] The OPDC assumed responsibility as the local planning authority for a 650-hectare area encompassing Old Oak Common and adjacent sites in the London boroughs of Brent, Ealing, and Hammersmith and Fulham.[36] The body's formation was driven by the need to coordinate regeneration efforts in an underutilized industrial zone, intensified by the impending construction of an HS2 interchange station at Old Oak Common, which promised to transform connectivity and land value.[37] Empowered by the Localism Act 2011, the OPDC holds mayoral development corporation status, enabling streamlined planning decisions, compulsory purchase powers, and infrastructure delivery to support up to 25,000 new homes and 65,000 jobs over decades.[38] Unlike traditional local authorities, its centralized structure prioritizes rapid execution of cross-borough projects, bypassing fragmented council approvals that had previously stalled similar initiatives.[39] No other dedicated development corporations were formed specifically for Old Oak Common; the OPDC integrates oversight of related entities, including collaborations with HS2 Ltd and Transport for London, to align transport-led growth with housing and employment objectives.[5]Urban Planning and Zoning
The Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC), established in April 2015 as the local planning authority for a 650-hectare area including Old Oak Common, oversees urban planning through its adopted Local Plan of June 2022, which sets policies for land use, development densities, and regeneration over the 2018–2038 period.[36][40] The plan prioritizes transit-oriented development centered on the HS2 Old Oak Common station, designating mixed-use zones for high-density residential, commercial, and employment growth while protecting Strategic Industrial Locations (SIL) to prevent net loss of industrial floorspace.[40] This framework aims to deliver 25,500 homes and 55,000 jobs across the area by 2041, with Old Oak Common allocated for 3,700 homes and 17,100 jobs during the plan period, supported by 200,500 square meters of minimum commercial floorspace.[40][41] Land use designations emphasize mixed-use intensification around transport hubs, with SIL zones—such as 250 hectares in Park Royal and 40 hectares in Old Park Royal—safeguarded for industrial purposes, requiring equivalent replacement floorspace for any relocation and targeting 212,500 square meters of additional industrial space in areas like Old Oak North.[40] Residential-led zones in sub-areas like Scrubs Lane and Channel Gate integrate housing with amenities, mandating 50% affordable units (measured in habitable rooms, with a minimum 35% threshold and 30% at social or London Affordable Rent levels where viable).[40] Commercial and town center uses are directed to neighborhood hubs, with restrictions on hot food takeaways (limited to 6% of units) and requirements for cultural action plans in larger developments.[40] Open space policies allocate 30% of developable land outside SIL for public access, including a 2-hectare park near Old Oak Common station.[40] Development densities are set at 300–600 units per hectare (average 450 outside SIL), with tall buildings exceeding 15 storeys (48 meters) permitted in designated high-density clusters near Old Oak Common station, reaching up to 45 storeys subject to skyline coordination, heritage impact assessments, and zero-carbon standards.[40] Policies enforce public transport accessibility levels (PTAL 6b targets), enhanced pedestrian and cycling infrastructure (e.g., 5-meter footpaths along Old Oak Street), and integration with existing rail networks, while prohibiting development that compromises HS2 construction sites or key views.[40] Phasing prioritizes early delivery in North Acton and Scrubs Lane (5,250 and 2,450 homes respectively in the first decade), with monitoring via compulsory purchase powers and annual reviews to ensure conformity with the London Plan and national policy.[40]| Sub-Area | Primary Designation | Density/Height Guidelines | Key Targets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Oak Common | Mixed-Use (Residential/Commercial) | 300–600 units/ha; up to 45 storeys near HS2 station | 3,700 homes, 17,100 jobs (plan period); 2-ha park |
| North Acton | Mixed-Use | 300–600 units/ha; 20–55 storeys (south), 20–35 (north) | 8,000+ homes, 6,200 jobs |
| Scrubs Lane | Residential-Led Mixed-Use | 300–600 units/ha; 6–10 storeys | 3,500+ homes, 1,100 jobs; 35% affordable minimum |
| Channel Gate | Residential-Led Mixed-Use | 300–600 units/ha; 20–30 storeys | 3,100+ homes, 600 jobs; cultural quarter |