Issue - meetings

To receive an update on the London Growth Mission and provide input on what boroughs might need from this to contribute to delivering the London Growth Plan and the refresh of the London Infrastructure Framework.

The Board is asked to note thatMayor Jason Perry, Mayor of Croydon and London Councils Executive Member for London’s Future has been invited to attend for this item.

Agenda republished to include attached item on 11 September 25

To receive an update from senior leaders at the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) about their plans for the Old Oak Common and Park Royal regeneration programme.  The Board will be invited to consider opportunities for collaboration and explore how residents and businesses across West London can benefit from and contribute to the work.

The Board is asked to note thatDame Karen Buck, Chair, OPDC has been invited to attend for this item.

(Agenda republished to include the attached presentation on 2 June 2025)

Ahead of the publication of the London Growth Plan, to receive an update from senior leaders at Imperial College London about the university’s plans for the WestTech Innovation Corridor. The Board will be asked to consider opportunities for collaboration and explore how residents across West London can benefit from hosting innovative firms and sectors.

The Board is asked to note thatAmanda Wolthuizen, Vice Principal (Strategic Engagement), Imperial College London has been invited to attend for this item along with Tom Bailey, Strategy Director (Innovation Ecosystems) and Katy Ingleby (Public Affairs Manager).

(Agenda republished to include the attached paper on 20 February 2025)

Councillor Muhammed Butt (as Chair) welcomed John Anderson (Chief Investment Officer – Imperial College London) & Katy Ingleby (Public Affairs Officer – Imperial College London) to the meeting and invited them to provide a short presentation updating the Board on development of the WestTech Innovation Corridor vision and concept ahead of publication of the London Growth Plan.

The following key issues were highlighted as part of the presentation:

·             The background and context to the involvement of Imperial College London in development of the WestTech Innovation Corridor.

·             The vision for the Corridor based on use of research universities (such as Imperial College) as a catalyst for driving investment, jobs and growth across West London.

·             The development of the Imperial College London strategy “Science for Humanity” as a basis for the work being undertaken to create the WestTech Corridor as a world leading hub for innovation, entrepreneurship and technological advancement in West London.  In seeking to build from a science and innovation base to amplify investment and impact, reference was made to:

o      Albertopolis (as one of the original Innovation Clusters);

o      Paddington Life Sciences (focussed on the rapidly growing life science cluster located around St Mary’s Hospital, the Digital Collaboration space and Paddington as one of North West London’s major transport termini);

o      White City Deep Tech Campus & Innovation District including a thriving ecosystem of co-located incubators, startups and industry partnerships;

o      Old Oak & Park Royal as one of the UK’s largest opportunity areas.

·             Growth trends to date and potential for the future:

o      In the previous five years the number of deep tech businesses in the White City area had increased by 76% to 102 companies with the number of employees having increased by 219% to just over 4000 people;

o      Companies within the cluster had collectively secured over £1bn of investment funding over this period (representing six times the level of funding secured by other deep tech businesses across the UK on a per firm basis);

o      Based on an indicative analysis, the Board was advised that if these growth rates were to be replicated across the wider WestTech Corridor over the next five years the number of employees working in deep tech would increase by 142,000 or 7.4% (not including wider supply chain effects) with investment across new and existing deep tech businesses having the potential to reach £30bn.

·             The outline of key hubs across the Imperial WestTech Corridor including the Imperial College London campuses, Imperial NHS Hospital sites, Future innovation Clusters and major transport links supported by development of a collective strategy designed to bring together a wide range of partners including the public, Not for Profit and Stakeholder Equity sectors to attract and drive investment.

·             The support of the Board and local authorities as a welcome and key factor in the future success of the Corridor.

The Board noted the importance of the collaborative approach being undertaken involving engagement between local authorities, universities and businesses with the Chair taking the opportunity to thank John Anderson for the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4