6. Park Royal Strategy
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6. PARK ROYAL STRATEGY 95 ENHANCING PARK ROYAL 6.1 Park Royal performs a vital role in million square metres of gross floor area increasing demand for warehousing supplying London and supporting the accommodating a diverse range of sectors and logistics, and space for smaller London economy. It is one of London’s and a low vacancy rate of 7.5% of floor businesses in accessible locations; primary industrial areas. Building on the area. Secure improvements to the public areas existing success there is a fantastic realm and public amenity spaces; opportunity for Park Royal to become the 6.4 The area will become an even more Address transport capacity issues by UK’s leading industrial location. To support attractive business location once the Old planning for existing and future need; this Park Royal’s Strategic Industrial Oak regeneration starts to be delivered. Address utility capacity issues, in Location (SIL) will be protected and It is therefore increasingly important particular limited connectivity; strengthened. Park Royal is within easy that the GLA, OPDC, TfL, the boroughs, Support the intensification of industrial access of London, UK and international landowners, and the Park Royal Business sites to accomodate to increasing markets and the area should be the Group work together to plan for the future demand; industrial focus of west London. Park Royal success of the area. Although presently Demonstrate how changes in building currently employs an estimated 30,000 thriving, Park Royal does face a number form including the need for larger floor people and there is an opportunity for an of challenges. In particular the area has to ceiling heights, more on-site service additional 10,000 new jobs across a range suffered for some time from transport and and parking space and more accessible of industrial sectors making this whole area utility capacity issues. More recently there sites, could be delivered; a sizeable employment generator. is increasing pressure of rising land values Support delivery of 1,500 new homes and associated rental increases. on those sites not identified as SIL and 6.2 Outside of SIL there will be opportunities without impacting on the functioning of for a minimum 1,500 new homes and other 6.5 The following sets out those key SIL; employment types connected by a network objectives, which the Mayor intends OPDC, Provide skills training and employment of improved streets and public realm. The GLA and TfL to progress both through opportunities for local people and existing character of the Wesley Estate and delivery of the OAPF and preparation of businesses generated from the significant the nearby playing fields will be enhanced OPDC’s Local Plan. These include the development proposals at Old Oak; and with the Heart of Park Royal reinvigorated need to: Secure funding streams to deliver the to provide a range of services for local Protect Park Royal as a Strategic above. communities. Industrial Location (SIL); Retain industrial flexibility to allow 6.3 Today Park Royal is home to over Park Royal accommodate changes in 1,200 businesses, and approximately 2.1 London’s industrial market, including 96 Figure 70: Photos of Park Royal locations 97 d. New residential uses should be directed provides a snapshot of the diverse range LAND USE to non SIL, including the First Central site of employment activities across the Park where they can be delivered so as not to Royal Strategic Industrial Location. impact on the functioning of surrounding PRINCIPLE PR1: SIL; 6.7 This role is reflected in the London LAND USE e. Within the Heart of Park Royal, Plan Strategic Industrial Location (SIL) development should deliver a range of designation. Given its strategic importance, a. The GLA will continue to support Park services and amenities to support the proposals not in accordance with the Royal as London’s leading industrial local business, residential and medical area’s SIL designation will be resisted. area by: communities; Additionally, OPDC will be progressing an f. Within the First Central site, proposals Article Four Direction to remove permitted protecting existing Strategic Industrial for office and residential floorspace development rights for change of use of Locations (SIL); and and ancillary retail, health and leisure buildings currently in office or storage or promoting development and facilities will be supported where they: distribution uses to residential within the intensification on SIL land. Park Royal SIL designation. i. improve walking, cycling and public b. New employment proposals in Strategic transport access to Park Royal London 6.8 New employment proposals within Industrial Locations should: Underground Station; Strategic Industrial Locations should ii. improve walking and cycling to the make the most efficient use of the site to deliver new workspace that maximises existing residential areas to the north; increase employment densities and meet and intensifies the use of the site to and the increasing demand for industrial units. support delivery of 10,000 new jobs iii. enhance the adjacent wildlife corridor New development will need to be flexible in Park Royal and where possible to the south-west. and should seek to help to accommodate accommodate business relocations displaced employment floorspace. This from elsewhere in the OAPF area. g. Within the existing residential area of the could include increasing the amount deliver new employment workspace that Wesley Estate and the adjacent Wesley of employment floorspace, delivering meets identified needs for micro, small Playing Fields, proposals which support shared services and floorspace (such as and medium enterprises and studios with the existing residential character, deliveries infrastructure and site access) higher employment densities in locations improve the quality of the public realm and implementing new employee working within easy walking distance to public and Wesley Playing Fields and improve patterns. This activity has the potential to transport services and/or town centres walking and cycling routes to and from continue to grow which is reflected in the and elsewhere for larger enterprises these locations and the Grand Union London Plan target for 10,000 additional with lower employment densities. Canal will be supported. new jobs. 6.6 Park Royal is one of Europe’s largest c. support the delivery of nationally 6.9 In addition to employment uses, Park and most succesful industrial estates significant railway infrastructure. Royal also has a role in delivering waste, providing vital services for the capital and logistics and land for transport functions in further afield. The Park Royal Atlas (2014) accordance with its SIL designation. 98 Brent Stonebridge Park Strategic Industrial Location (SIL) Focus town centre uses Non SIL Harlesden Harlesden Willesden Junction Hanger Lane Park Royal Park Royal Old Oak Common North Acton Figure 71: Park Royal land use 0 0.5 1km Ealing 99 6.10 The Park Royal Atlas demonstrates Twyford Abbey and other public transport that micro and small businesses comprise services. Supporting uses should be local approximately 95% of the existing in scale and nature. businesses. Micro and small businesses refer to a range of employment sectors, 6.13 There is an existing area of housing including creative and cultural industries. that sits west of North Acton Road, south Different sectors have different spatial needs east of Acton Lane with Wesley Playing which require a range of sizes and types Fields adjacent in the east. The residential of workspace. Businesses with smaller character of this area is markedly different floorspace requirements tend to deliver to the surrounding industrial uses and higher employment densities and as such should be improved where possible. The should be located nearer to existing and Wesley Playing Fields offer a valuable new public transport services. Conversely, green space within the north of Park Royal businesses requiring larger floorspaces and should be improved where appropriate. such as warehousing generally have a Specifically, the creation of an improved lower density of employees and as such walking and cycling route to the Grand are more appropriate to be located further Union Canal should be explored to improve away from public transport interchanges. local accessibility. 6.11 To help regenerate Park Royal, improvements to the road network, public transport and connectivity will also need to be delivered. 6.12 First Central sits on the western edge of Park Royal with housing areas to the north and west and Strategic Industrial Location (SIL) land to the east. Its location near to Park Royal London Underground Station and position outside of SIL enables it to accommodate housing subject to the mitigation of any impact on the functioning of the SIL. Housing will be supported where it enables the delivery of significant public transport improvements, provides spaces for small and micro businesses and connects the site to the Heart of Park Royal, 100 IMPROVING INFRASTRUCTURE PRINCIPLE PR2: INFRASTRUCTURE a. Proposals should seek to improve 6.14 To support the protection, protect public transport from congestion, transport and utilities infrastructure. intensification and the long-term consolidation centres, rail depots and canal successful functioning of Park Royal, it is wharves for freight transport alongside b. Improvements to: critical that existing issues relating to traffic shared freight and passenger vehicle congestion, utilities infrastructure capacity parking. Additionally, new employment the road network should be undertaken and connectivity are addressed to support uses should demonstrate how they across Park Royal, OPDC is currently business growth and development. maximise the use of the Grand Union progressing a Park Royal Transport Canal and rail network for freight transport Study with TfL and the Park Royal 6.15 The Mayor will work with TfL and the purposes. Business Group. This work should identify boroughs to deliver a transport strategy recommendations for improvements for Park Royal and is working with utilities 6.17 Congestion on the road network and to the transport network.