Aerial view of the Old Oak area

Old Oak Innovation Cluster is establishing itself as a new district where innovation-led regeneration will create unparalleled opportunities for cutting edge science and deep tech businesses.

Old Oak Innovation Cluster is part of the Old Oak and Park Royal Opportunity Area, one of the UK’s most important and exciting regeneration projects, which is being delivered by Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation.

The Old Oak and Park Royal Opportunity Area spans land in three London boroughs – Ealing, Brent and Hammersmith & Fulham – and is supported by Ealing Council, Hammersmith & Fulham Council and Brent Council.

Old Oak is transforming west London with landmark housing and infrastructure developments, including the new Old Oak Common station which will deliver unrivalled connectivity to central London and other major UK cities.

Imperial is a long-term investor, owner and developer in the Old Oak area. It is strategic location, situated close to Imperial’s other campuses in White City and at Hammersmith Hospital, and with strong connections across the White City Innovation District.

Imperial’s ownership in Old Oak extends to more than 17 acres. Imperial developed its first buildings in the area in 2015. Since then, the modern, purpose-built accommodation for students, staff and key workers has been home to more than 1,500 Imperial undergraduates and staff.

Imperial’s ambitious plans in Old Oak will support c.4 million sq ft of additional development which includes the creation of new lab, office and manufacturing spaces for innovative businesses, new homes across various tenures, including student accommodation, as well as new retail, amenities and services, and green public spaces.

The Old Oak area currently provides a vibrant mix of businesses, residents, innovators and creatives, and it is located adjacent to Park Royal, the UK’s largest industrial estate, home to 1,700 exciting firms, employing 40,000 people. Imperial supports the Park Royal Design District, a community-led organisation representing creatives, makers and artists in the local area as part of the Mayor of London’s Creative Enterprise Zone initiative.

Student and key worker accommodation

Woodward Buildings

Across Imperial’s Woodward, Kemp Porter and Clayworks buildings, staff and students benefit from spacious, contemporary accommodation with onsite amenities including gym, laundry, games room and music room.

The student accommodation is in the heart of thriving student neighbourhood, with many other universities halls of residence located in the local area. Woodward and Kemp Porter Buildings also benefit from exceptional views across London.

Kemp Porter and Clayworks buildings

Imperial plans to enhance its student accommodation offering with an extension to the Woodward Buildings. Block A would be located alongside the existing Woodward Buildings (B, C & D) and would provide c.270 new student beds. The extension would also create new community spaces to be used by local residents and businesses, as well as commercial units on the ground floor which would enhance the retail and amenity offer.

Find out more about student and staff accommodation

One Portal Way  

One Portal Way

In 2016, Imperial purchased the 4.5 acre One Portal Way site, formerly an office development. One Portal Way is the largest and most centrally located site in Old Oak,  and offers a significant opportunity to provide a new heart of the area, knitting other developments to form a new vibrant place.

Over the long-term, Imperial plans to completely redevelop the One Portal Way site. It will create a new green heart for Old Oak, including a major new public garden, retail, amenities and services, alongside new homes, including student accommodation and other tenures, and 300,000 sq ft of flexible commercial workspace. 

In the meantime, Imperial is helping to alleviate London’s shortage of affordable lab space and enabling rapidly growing businesses to remain in London, by launching a new scale-up space for science and technology ventures. One Portal Way, Old Oak will reinvent an existing building into 55,000 sq ft of fully fitted lab and office space, ready to occupy by a community of up to 30 innovative scale-ups from mid-2026.

Imperial is partnering with Sciopolis – specialists in flexible, ready-to-occupy lab and office space – to develop and operate One Portal Way, Old Oak. Future occupiers will benefit from the support of Imperial Incubator, the university’s home for early-stage lab-based companies, who will provide on-site assistance and facilitate connections to Imperial’s innovation ecosystem. 

Find out more about One Portal Way

Victoria Industrial Estate

Aerial view of the Victoria Industrial Estate

In 2024, Imperial acquired the 9.6 acre Victoria Industrial Estate, responding to London’s critical shortage of scale-up space for high growth companies. Imperial have created flexible and affordable follow-on space so innovators can stay and scale in London. 

The facility is now offering affordable, flexible spaces that will enable prototyping, pilot manufacturing, Good Manufacturing Practice and advanced manufacturing for innovative firms working in areas such as cleantech, biotech and medtech. Under Imperial’s ownership, Victoria Industrial Estate is set to become London’s first dedicated advanced manufacturing destination. 

Find out more about the Victoria Industrial Estate