M
arks & Spencer has been refused permission to knock down and redevelop its flagship store on London’s Oxford Street after opposition from Michael Gove .
M&S boss Stuart Machin stated the choice is “utterly pathetic” and means the corporate will assessment its future on the historic procuring avenue.
The Communities Secretary launched a public inquiry into proposals to flatten the 1929 Art Deco constructing close to Marble Arch and substitute it with a a lot bigger 10-storey retail and workplace block final 12 months after the plans had acquired assist from native authorities.
On Thursday, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities confirmed that Mr Gove disagreed with the advice from inspectors to approve the plans and had “decided to refuse permission”.
The Government report raised considerations that its public advantages had been offset by the potential hurt to close by heritage landmarks and criticised the environmental impression of the redevelopment.
Mr Gove discovered that further storeys of places of work could be extra obvious than the present web site and have a “significantly detrimental impact on the setting of Selfridges” division retailer close by.
The carbon footprint and failure to reuse some current assets was additionally thought of a purpose for permission to be blocked.
In response, M&S chief govt Stuart Machin stated: “After a two-year process where our proposals were supported at every stage, our investment in 2,000 jobs, building one of the most sustainable buildings in London, improving the public realm and creating a flagship store, is now effectively in the deep freeze.
“Today the Secretary of State has ignored his appointed expert David Nicholson who recommended approval of our scheme.
“When 42 of the 269 shops on what should be our nation’s premier shopping street sit vacant, disregarding the expert opinion and approval of the appointed planning inspector and playing to the gallery by kiboshing the only retail-led regeneration proposal is a short-sighted act of self-sabotage by the Secretary of State and its effects will be felt far beyond M&S and the West End.
“The nation’s fragile economic recovery needs Government to give confidence to sustainable regeneration and investment as well as following due process; in London and across the UK.
“Today the Secretary of State has signalled he is more interested in cheap shot headlines than facts and if it weren’t so serious it would be laughable.
“We have been clear from the outset that there is no other viable scheme – so, after almost a century at Marble Arch, M&S is now left with no choice but to review its future position on Oxford Street on the whim of one man. It is utterly pathetic.”
