QPR 1st, the supporters’ trust, is on the local authority list of organisations it consults with on planning issues at the Shepherds Bush end of the borough.
To help us to comment on one current consultation – which shows a possible new stadium close to Willesden Junction station – we have written to the club asking for advice and information.
The consultation is on regeneration proposals for the Old Oak Common – Park Royal area and come from the Mayor of London, Transport for London (TfL), Hammersmith & Fulham, Ealing and Brent Councils.
The consultation document shows a sports stadium in what is now an industrial estate area to the north of the Grand Union Canal, close to Willesden Junction Overground and Bakerloo Line stations. It is about two miles north of Loftus Road. The document says, “In this location it may be possible for a major educational, health, leisure, entertainment or sports provider to help to act as a catalyst for the regeneration of the area, by frontloading the provision of infrastructure and giving the area an identity.”
This may be one of the options the club is looking at for the new stadium, in which case QPR 1st would like to able to tell the Mayor and the councils we think this would be an appropriate development for the area – while recognising the club may also be looking at other options too.
Were this site to be option for QPR, it would also be appropriate for us to support proposals in the document for good pedestrian links, passing the stadium, from both Willesden Junction and a new Old Oak Common Crossrail/HS2 station.
We hope the club will give us enough information to allow us to respond to the consultation. We are, of course, also expecting the club to fully consult supporters on the new stadium so that it becomes a ground we can all feel proud of.
More information on the proposals, is at: http://www.london.gov.uk/priorities/planning/consultations/old-oak-common. The consultation ends on 6 September.