DEPARTMENT STORE NEWS

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has granted approval for Marks & Spencer to demolish and rebuild its flagship Marble Arch store on Oxford Street, concluding a contentious planning dispute that spanned over three years.

The decision permits M&S to replace the 1929 Art Deco building with a modern 10-storey structure, featuring a smaller retail space, offices, a café, and a gym. The project, which will support 2,000 jobs, is part of a wider effort to rejuvenate Oxford Street amidst ongoing high vacancy rates and declining footfall.

M&S CEO Stuart Machin expressed relief, criticising delays under the previous government and pledging swift action. “Our plans for Marble Arch – the only retail-led regeneration on Oxford Street – will help revitalise the UK’s premier shopping destination,” he said.

Machin said: “I am delighted that, after three unnecessary years of delays, obfuscation and political posturing at its worst, under the previous Government, our plans for Marble Arch – the only retail-led regeneration proposal on Oxford Street – have finally been approved. We can now get on with the job of helping to rejuvenate the UK’s premier shopping street through a flagship M&S store and office space, which will support 2,000 jobs and act as a global standard-bearer for sustainability.

 “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.”

Westminster City Council initially approved the scheme in 2021, but then-Conservative Secretary Michael Gove blocked it, citing potential harm to heritage sites and environmental concerns. However, the High Court later ruled that Gove’s decision had misinterpreted planning regulations.

The redevelopment aims to set a sustainability benchmark, with M&S committing to use 95% recycled materials from the existing building and halving water consumption. The design, with a 120-year lifespan, is projected to achieve carbon payback within 11 years.

Industry leaders welcomed the decision, though the debate over retrofitting versus redevelopment remains divisive. Critics had argued for preserving the Art Deco building, while M&S maintained that retrofitting was infeasible due to structural limitations.

The approval marks a turning point for Oxford Street, with other investments, such as the arrival of IKEA and pedestrianisation plans, contributing to its recovery.