Brunel University of London, in collaboration with its civic partner West London Business and Higher Education partner Harper Adams University, is delivering a programme funded by the EPSRC. This initiative focuses on addressing the innovation challenges within the food manufacturing and distribution sector in Park Royal.
EPSRC is the main UK government agency for funding research and training in engineering and the physical sciences. It invests more than £850 million annually in a broad range of subjects, from mathematics to materials science, and from information technology to structural engineering.
Universities and research institutions play a crucial role in driving innovative clusters of economic activity. Place Based Impact Acceleration Accounts (PBIAAs) are key to delivering EPSRC’s Place strategy, which aims to strengthen existing partnerships and clusters, and develop new co-created opportunities in engineering and physical sciences and beyond, based on national and local insights. PBIAAs provide up to 4 years of consortia funding to support a programme of impact activities within an emerging or established research and innovation cluster.
Brunel University of London, a leading UK research university, leads the consortium behind the Park Royal Net Zero programme. With its strong background in engineering, materials, digital technologies, and food supply chains, Brunel partners with Harper Adams University to enhance expertise in low-carbon food production, sustainable business practices, vertical farming, and urban agriculture, driving innovation and sustainability across the sector.
Brunel’s excellence in engineering, materials, manufacturing, and digital is complemented by its partnership with Harper Adams University. Harper Adams is a specialist institution that collaborates with Brunel in the EPSRC-funded Centre for Sustainable Energy Use in Food Chains (CSEF), addressing the future development of food production and processing, animal sciences, engineering, land management, and sustainable business.
West London Business (WLB) is a UK non-profit business leadership forum founded in 1994. It represents businesses and enterprises in the seven West London Alliance boroughs: Barnet, Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, and Hounslow.
Our research and innovation cluster is the Park Royal Industrial Estate in West London, the largest industrial estate in London, spanning 2.1 million square meters. It is home to 1,700 businesses employing over 40,000 people. Around 28% of the businesses (over 500) are in the food and drink sector, producing about 30% of London’s food and drink and contributing approximately £8 billion annually to the economy. Colloquially known as London’s Kitchen, Park Royal is a critical component of the supply chain for food and drink into central London and Heathrow. The estate spans three London Boroughs: Brent, Ealing, and Hammersmith & Fulham, and forms part of the regeneration zone administered by the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC).
We are keen to collaborate with food and drink businesses in Park Royal to develop solutions that help achieve your net-zero goals.
Please register your interest by submitting the form and our team will be in touch to discuss the next steps.
