The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has welcomed plans for up to 24,000 new homes to be developed in London.

Mr Eric Pickles said he supports the proposals by the Mayor of London, Bori Johnson, to establish Mayoral Development Corporation to lead the transformation of Old Oak Common in West London.

The regeneration plans are also expected to create over 55,000 jobs.

An Order has been laid before Parliament to create the new body, which will be known as the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC). Subject to parliamentary approval, the new corporation will come into existence on 1st April, 2015. The Order will be followed by a similar piece of legislation to give the OPDC planning powers.

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A High Speed 2 (HS2) and Crossrail Station is due to be constructed at Old Oak Common by 2026. The new station will be the size of Waterloo, handling 250,000 passengers a day and acting as a super hub between London and the rest of the UK, Europe and the world.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said: "The vast new station at Old Oak Common presents us with an almost unprecedented opportunity to transform an area the size of a small London borough into a thriving new part of the capital, with unrivalled transport links to central London, the rest of the country and beyond. London will shortly become home to more people than ever before and there is no doubt that this scheme will provide a real shot- in-the-arm as we look to provide the new homes and jobs that we desperately need."

(CD/MH)