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Campaigners had raised environmental concerns, but the demolition of the landmark building looked set to go ahead. The Government has now called for it to be scrutinised.
Jack Saddler - Staff Writer
A City Hall review last week concluded that the landmark Marks & Spencer on Oxford Street could be demolished and replaced by a new 10-storey centre.
M&S planned to demolish the Edwardian building, nearly 100-years-old, with a new space that will house offices, a gym, a smaller shop and a pedestrian arcade.
However, these plans may have been scuppered, after the government called the plans to be scrutinised by ministers, blocking the move for the time being.
Michael Gove, who is the Communities Secretary, told Westminster council to “pause” the application which would see the landmark building demolished. Local authorities now cannot go ahead with the plans until it has received Government scrutiny.
The move had faced criticism from campaigners, who cited environmental concerns about the project going ahead, saying the demolition would go against City Hall policy.
Last week, however, Mayor Sadiq Khan reviewed the decision in March not to intervene with the application, and found that the “carbon footprint” of the project had been under careful consideration. The application was then referred back to Westminster council for the final approval. Permission has since been granted, subject to the agreement of wider benefits to the community with the developers.
A spokesperson for Sadiq Khan said: “The mayor can only intervene in council planning decisions where the proposed scheme does not conform with the London Plan.
“After a thorough assessment of this proposal, including the total carbon footprint involved, it was determined that grounds did not exist to allow the mayor to intervene. It will therefore remain with Westminster City Council to determine the application.”
Henrietta Billings, director of Save Britain’s Heritage, said: “These proposals do not comply with national net zero legislation to reduce carbon emissions or the mayor’s own policy to prioritise retrofit.
“If the London mayor is serious about tackling climate change this cycle of trashing and rebuilding from scratch must stop. This decision flies in the face of national and London wide policy, and goes against the advice of the Mayor’s own sustainability advisor.
“The M&S building is a handsome landmark that has characterised Oxford Street for almost 100 years, helping shape one of London’s most famous and historic streets.”
The decision was then put to Communities Secretary Michael Gove, which has now halted the scheme until minsiters have scrutinised the plans.