Government delays M&S Oxford Street redevelopment plans
Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, has delayed his decision on Marks & Spencer’s controversial Oxford Street flagship rebuild.
Gove originally said he would make a final ruling on the called-in plans "on or before 3 May". He has since delayed the decision by an additional three months.
Despite concerns from heritage and environmental groups about knocking down the 1930s building, the Pilbrow & partners-designed scheme near Marble Arch was approved in 2021 and later backed by Mayor Sadiq Khan.
The current site reportedly delivers such poor sustainability performance that it requires significant and unsustainable investment to keep running. Machin added: "If we leave M&S Marble Arch to continue trading as it is, the building’s energy efficiency – which is unfortunately already very poor – will only continue to deteriorate. We believe that delivery of more sustainable buildings must be approached on a case-by-case, holistic basis, taking into account its Whole Life Carbon."
The plans were called into question by Gove last summer and later went to a public inquiry overseen by the Planning Inspectorate. The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said the decision would now be delayed until 20 July.
A letter from the department sent to Marks & Spencer, Westminster council and Save Britain’s Heritage, said: "Further time is required to consider this case, and it will not be possible to reach a decision on this application on or before the above date".
However, the department did not provide any further explanation for why the decision had been delayed.
Last year’s three-week inquiry into the scheme ended in a row between Save Britain’s Heritage and Marks & Spencer. Save Britains’ Director, Henrietta Billings, described M&S' press release as "deliberately misleading and inaccurate".
An M&S spokesperson said its legal firm remained fully confident in the accuracy of the press release, adding: "We are proud of our plans to deliver a bold, sustainable and innovative Marble Arch site which is the only viable and deliverable option and the sole retail-led regeneration on the nation’s most famous, but challenged, high street".
