M&S to begin redevelopment work on Marble Arch store next year

Marks & Spencer is set to start work on its Marble Arch flagship redevelopment next year.

This is the latest update on the Marble Arch redevelopment since the retailer gained Government approval for the work in December 2024, after more than three "unnecessary years of delays".  It had first submitted the proposal in March 2021.

Earlier this week, the retailer unveiled its renewed flagship at 173 Oxford Street, which brings food, fashion, home and beauty together across four floors. The store will operate as its first full-line research-and-development site for fashion, home and beauty.

The transformation covers almost 100,000 sq ft and has been completed in stages while the store continued trading. M&S has occupied the building, identified by its green PANTHEON lettering, since 1938.

Timeline of Marble Arch store 

In 2021, Westminster City Council initially granted permission for Marks & Spencer to demolish its Marble Arch building and replace it with a new, modern store alongside office and leisure facilities. However, the decision was then overturned in 2023 by former Secretary of State Michael Gove on heritage and environmental grounds.

Stuart Machin responded furiously to the decision, saying the existing building was riddled with asbestos and that retrofitting a modern store into the old facade was not feasible. At the time, he described the decision as "unfathomable" and suggested the retailer might walk away from the site altogether.

The retailer took the decision to court, and in March 2024 it won its High Court challenge, which ruled that the previous Secretary of State's block was unlawful. In December the same year, it finally won the Secretary of State’s approval.

M&S said at the time that, with the redeveloped store, it would aim to "regenerate the West End to regain its position on the world stage as a global shopping destination".

Though refitting the existing Art-Deco store had previously been a preferred option, M&S said it would not be possible after trialling sixteen different plans to retrofit the space.

Machin commented at the time: "We share the Government’s ambition to breathe life back into our cities and towns and are pleased to see they are serious about getting Britain building and growing. We will now move as fast as we can."

Dee Corsi, Chief Executive at New West End Company, shared this sentiment, describing the decision to grant approval as sending a "strong and positive signal for businesses across the UK, particularly in flagship high street locations which are key drivers of economic growth".

"The redevelopment of Marks & Spencer’s flagship store at Marble Arch will help cement the West End’s status as a global destination for shoppers and office workers alike, revitalising Oxford Street West and reinforcing the message to international investors that the UK is firmly open for business," she added.