Marks & Spencer has confirmed it will close its flagship Marble Arch store on Oxford Street, with demolition set to follow after the government approved redevelopment plans. The retailer plans to knock down the 94-year-old building and replace it with a nine-storey development including a smaller M&S store, pedestrian arcade, offices, cafe and gym.
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner granted permission on Thursday, ending a four-year planning dispute. The decision follows a high court ruling in March that overturned a previous rejection by then-Housing Secretary Michael Gove. The court found that Gove had misunderstood planning policies and made flawed decisions.
Westminster City Council initially approved the demolition in November 2021, but the scheme faced opposition from conservation group Save Britain’s Heritage, which argued the building is a “handsome landmark” and that demolition would conflict with net-zero targets due to the energy required for construction.
M&S argued the current store is “hugely inefficient” with declining sales, partly due to its “complex and confusing layout”. The new development will include retail space, a cafe, a gym and offices, with M&S operating a smaller store on the site.
The original art deco building opened on November 5, 1930, and was described by the London Evening News as a “worthy neighbour of the renowned fashion houses”. Construction began in 1929.
