The inaugural Capital West London Growth Summit proved a huge success with hundreds of the sub-region’s key stakeholders enjoying a packed day of engaging debate and discussion.

Organised by White Label, the event at The Drum at Wembley on October 30, drew a fantastic line-up of speakers – including three Deputy Mayors – to discuss the issues affecting the future of West London and the challenges and opportunities that may arise from them.

The Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration & Skills, Jules Pipe, kicked off the day with a key-note speech on why West London is so important to the GLA and heaping praise on the Capital West London programme.

“On behalf of City Hall, we would like to pass on our congratulations for this excellent Summit,” said Pipe. “Huge praise must go to the West London boroughs for having the foresight and good sense to come together to promote the area as a whole. It is a vital part of the capital and a huge opportunity area.

“It’s great to see so many people here, both from the public and private sector, wanting to work together. It just reinforces what we knew already, that there is a big, big interest in West London.”

Throughout the course of the day, the audience heard a range of speeches and panel sessions around the subjects of the economy, local politics, Brexit, transport, property, construction, employment, culture and housing.

Through the Growth Summit App, specifically designed for White Label for the purpose of the event, delegates were able to interact with the speakers throughout the day – giving feedback and submitting questions to Chair Courtenay Fingar, Editor of fDi magazine.

They were also asked to vote on what they regarded as West London’s greatest asset, with the majority picking the area’s outstanding connectivity – set to get even better with the launch of several huge future infrastructure projects.

In the afternoon, a Business Forum, facilitated by Middlesex University and West London Business, ran alongside the main conference. The invite-only session saw a range of selected local business take part in a series of presentations and round-table discussions that will help shape a future Capital West London Trade programme – designed to guide and support the West London business community.

The attendees from the Business Forum then joined the main conference delegates for a rousing final speech from Tony Pidgley CBE, Chairman of Berkeley Group PLC to round off proceedings.

Pidgley praised the boroughs of the West London Alliance – Barnet, Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon and Hounslow – for uniting under the Capital West London banner.

“I always like it when local authorities take the initiative. I am pleased to talk about this West London vision, and the seven boroughs working together,” said Pidgely. “West London boroughs are leading the way, and I congratulate them for that, we need others to follow their example.”

For more information on the Capital West London programme and for more stories from the Growth Summit visit – capitalwestlondon.co.uk/