Hammersmith & Fulham has launched a five-point economic growth blueprint at the Upstream London Network Economic Forum, positioning place-based development, innovation districts and cross-sector partnerships as the engine of future prosperity.
The strategy argues that local government, anchor institutions and private investors should work together to create inclusive growth tailored to each place’s strengths.
A major theme is property development as a catalyst for economic change. The White City Innovation District is presented as the clearest example: former brownfield land has been transformed into a campus for commercialising research, while nearby assets such as White City Place have been repurposed for research, media and tech tenants. The council says this model has helped attract £6.5 billion of investment and create 17,200 STEM³ jobs, making the borough one of the UK’s fastest-growing innovation economies.
The forum also highlighted the role of regeneration partners in unlocking wider value before construction even begins. Rob Heasman of The Earls Court Development Company said the project had already generated more than 2,000 jobs and a £50 million-plus uplift for the local economy, underlining how major development schemes can drive growth through planning, partnerships and early economic activation.
Business and institutional partners were central throughout. The blueprint draws on experience from innovation districts in Milan, Barcelona, Oslo, Buenos Aires, Lillestrøm, Melbourne and Rzeszów, alongside UK partners including Barnsley, Swindon and Wigan. Speakers stressed that successful districts need universities, health trusts, R&D centres, councils, investors and corporations working in concert, rather than standalone projects.
Company and institutional names featured prominently, including Imperial College London, Novartis, Airbus, NATO, L’Oréal, BBC Studioworks, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and the Earls Court Development Company. Together, these partners reflect the borough’s strategy of using development sites, research assets and business networks to attract investment, support start-ups and create long-term employment pipelines.
The new partnership with Wigan Council extends that model, focusing on digital innovation, skills and inclusive growth. Both councils say the alliance will help share learning, support business investment and create better pathways into high-quality jobs, while keeping growth rooted in local identity and community benefit.
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