The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has appointed five new Board Members and one new Planning Committee Member to join his West London development corporation,

Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC), which is responsible for delivering one of London's largest brownfield development opportunities.

The appointments follow an open and competitive procurement process that has demonstrated a strong level of interest with the Board positions attracting more than

200 applicants. The appointees bring extensive senior level experience in broad aspects of designing and delivering major regeneration programmes and will support

the delivery of tens of thousands of new and affordable homes and new jobs in the Old Oak and Park Royal Opportunity Area.

The new Board Member appointments fill current and forthcoming Board vacancies and are:

• Alexander Jan – Chief Economic Adviser, London Property Alliance
• Alison Dowsett – former Managing Director, Policy and Planning, Berkeley Group
• Eleanor Young - Director, Blackstock Partnership
• Sarah McCready - Director of Social Infrastructure and Communications, Barking Riverside Limited
• Shahi Islam - Director, Affordable Housing, Homes England

There are also changes to OPDC's Planning Committee. Hannah David, Director of Planning Futures and a former local authority Planning Committee Chair, has been

appointed by the Mayor as a Member of the Planning Committee. Alongside Hannah, incoming OPDC Board Member, Eleanor Young, becomes the Planning Committee's

Board nominee. In addition, whilst his term as a Board Member is coming to an end, the Mayor has agreed that William Hill will remain on OPDC's Planning Committee in

his current role as Chair.

Karen Buck, Chair of OPDC, said:

“I am delighted to welcome six such talented and knowledgeable individuals to bring their considerable expertise to our Board and Planning Committee. OPDC's vision

for Old Oak will create a revitalised and inclusive urban district in the heart of West London and they join the organisation at an exciting time with plans progressing at

pace. I also wish to express my gratitude to the Board Members who are stepping down from their roles following completion of their terms for the excellent service

they have provided in navigating us to this important juncture.”

Matthew Carpen, incoming Chief Executive of OPDC, who takes up the role on 6 October, said:

“Our new Board and Planning Committee appointments further strengthen OPDC's already experienced and diverse leadership, bringing particular expertise in economic development, affordable housing delivery, strategic planning, major project delivery and engagement and social value. I know that the dedication and passion of

our new appointees will support OPDC in its ambitions to deliver lasting positive change for new and existing communities in Old Oak and Park Royal. I look forward

to working with them in the years ahead.”

The new Board and Planning Committee Members join at an important time for OPDC. With an adopted Local Plan, land assembly well progressed and an illustrative masterplan in place, OPDC's Old Oak project is making rapid progress.

Procurement is set to launch later this year for a private sector partner to join with OPDC to deliver this flagship £10bn scheme. Following approval from the Mayor, on 12 September, OPDC made a Compulsory Purchase Order (The Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (Old Oak) Compulsory Purchase Order 2025), to secure the remaining land required for the comprehensive regeneration of Old Oak. This will enable the assembly of the few remaining privately owned sites on the approximately 31 hectares of land within the Old Oak development. The Old Oak proposals are designed to utilise public sector brownfield land and to capitalise on the transformational impacts and effects of the new station at Old Oak Common, which will serve HS2, the Elizabeth line and the Great Western Mainline.

On the planning side, OPDC is preparing to review its Local Plan (2018-2038), the strategic planning framework for the 655-hectare Old Oak and Park Royal

Opportunity Area, with engagement commencing early next year and consultation set to launch in autumn 2026.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Media Enquiries:

Office hours: Grace Kelly, 07403 136 984, Grace.Kelly@opdc.london.gov.uk

Out of office hours: GLA press office, 020 7983 4000.

Board Member biographies:

Alexander Jan

Alexander Jan is a highly experienced economist and advisor with over three decades of expertise in infrastructure, urban development, and economic policy, particularly within the London context. His career spans senior roles in both the public and private sectors, including as Chief Economist at Arup, where he led major infrastructure and urban planning projects such as the GLA's 2050 Infrastructure Plan and the Crossrail impact study. Alexander is currently the Chair (NED) at Central District Alliance

Business Improvement District and Hatton Garden Business Improvement District and Chief Economic Advisor to the London Property Alliance. He has also held influential advisory positions with the Greater London Authority.

Alison Dowsett

Alison is a seasoned property professional with 35 years of experience in residential and mixed-use development, specialising in land acquisition, planning, and large-scale regeneration. Alison's most recent role has been as Managing Director, Planning and Policy at Berkeley Group. At Berkeley Group, Alison also played a pivotal role in forming and leading St William LLP, a joint venture with National Grid overseeing the planning and delivery of 25,000 homes across 30 brownfield sites in London and the South-East. Her leadership extended to strategic land acquisition, stakeholder engagement, and influencing national planning policy.

Eleanor Young

Currently a Director of Blackstock Partnership, Eleanor Young is a highly experienced professional with over 30 years in planning, development, and regeneration, primarily within local and regional government. Eleanor served as the first Mayor of London's Senior Adviser on Planning and Development for eight years, where she led the creation of the first London Plan and advised on major strategic applications. Her career includes extensive work in West London, notably with Ealing Council and Heathrow Airport, and she has played a pivotal role in large-scale regeneration projects such as Southall Gas Works. Eleanor has provided strategic advice to councils and developers, contributing to housing delivery, infrastructure planning, and economic growth initiatives. Latterly she has provided interim senior management support to OPDC giving her a strong understanding of the organisation and the Old Oak project.

Sarah McCready

Sarah McCready is currently the Director of Social Infrastructure and Communications at Barking Riverside Ltd. Sarah is an experienced placemaking and communications leader who has developed her experience within large scale regeneration settings. Sarah sits on the Executive at Barking Riverside Ltd and leads strategic initiatives across placemaking, community engagement, social impact, place branding, and communications. Her work has included delivering award-winning strategies, managing crisis communications, and overseeing major social infrastructure projects, including a proposed £40m health and leisure facility. She has also played a key role in establishing a resident-led Community Interest Company to ensure long-term stewardship and community ownership.

Shahi Islam

Shahi Islam is Homes England's Director of Affordable Housing and is a highly experienced senior leader in housing, regeneration, and real estate, with over 20 years of expertise spanning programme and project management, policy development, and strategic leadership. At Homes England, Shahi oversees the £9.2 billion Affordable Homes Programme, leading national delivery, stakeholder engagement, and transformation initiatives. His career includes progressively senior roles within Homes England and the Greater London Authority, where he has shaped London and national housing policy, managed multi-billion-pound budgets, and built strong relationships across

government, local authorities, and the private sector. He is also a Board Director at Future of London bringing his experience in place making and the built environment to support their mission.

Planning Committee Member biography:

Hannah David

Housing and Planning issues have been at the heart of Hannah's career for two decades with experience that straddles both the public and private sectors. As a former local Councillor, Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning and Chair of a Local Borough Planning Committee, Hannah has extensive experience of the challenges faced by Local Authorities in developing planning policies that work for the community. As a former Property Solicitor, she also has key insights into the housing market from a commercial perspective. Hannah holds an MSc in Spatial Planning from the Bartlett School of Planning at UCL. In 2015, Hannah became a founding director of Planning Futures. She is passionate about improving the planning system and promoting planning as means of delivering positive social change.

About OPDC:

Old Oak and Park Royal (OPDC) is Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC), established by the Mayor of London to secure the regeneration of the Old Oak and Park Royal area, which spans three London boroughs – Ealing, Brent and Hammersmith & Fulham.

The area includes Park Royal industrial estate, the Old Oak development area around the new High Speed 2 Old Oak Common Station, and the protected land at Wormwood Scrubs. OPDC is the Local Planning Authority and regeneration agency for this 650-hectare site.

Read more about OPDC's Old Oak scheme here.