News on HS2 in Old Oak

Businesses and residents in West London are set to benefit from a new Employment and Skills Hub, funded by HS2. The Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) has been successful in its bid to our Business and Local Economy Fund, securing more than £250,000 . The project is being delivered in partnership with London Borough of Brent, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, London Borough of Ealing, West London College and the Department for Work and Pensions.

The hub will help support West London businesses during the current economic situation and beyond, providing stability and growth and helping businesses recruit, retain and develop a local, skilled workforce. It will also help local people gain new skills and access employment opportunities created by local businesses, including OPDC’s and our infrastructure and development projects.

The £255,200 funding award is from the HS2 Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF), part of a combined total of £40million in funding available to local communities and businesses disrupted by the construction of Britain’s new high speed railway. This award joins a further 125 other projects which have also benefitted.

The Old Oak and Park Royal area is undergoing an unprecedented transformation ahead of the arrival of our new station and OPDC-led plans to transform the area project that the neighbourhood around the new station could potentially create tens of thousands of homes and jobs.

To construct Phase One of the railway between London and the West Midlands, ourselves and our contractors expect to recruit for around 22,000 roles – many in West London and surrounding areas. There will also be an estimated 400,000 supply chain opportunities for businesses to work on the project. Alongside our contractors, we will work with the new Employment and Skills Hub to support the local workforce and local businesses to make the most of these opportunities.

Community and Business Funds

As construction of HS2 gets underway, applications for the funds are still being welcomed. The Funds for Phase One, independently administered by community charity Groundwork UK, support urban and rural, community, environmental and business projects. Our Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and the Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF) give local communities and businesses disrupted by the construction of HS2 the opportunity to receive funding of up to £1 million for projects to improve their local area or support their local economy.

For more information on Groundwork and the funds, including how to apply, visit https://hs2funds.org.uk/ .You can also watch our short videos which explain how to best demonstrate that your project meets the criteria for the Community, Environment or Business Funds.

If you have any questions about the Community and Business Funds, HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .