Marks & Spencer (M&S) has secured approval from the UK’s Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to redevelop its store at Marble Arch in central London.
The planning application, submitted in March 2021, outlines a new building that aims to set a high standard in sustainable performance and rank within the top 1% of new buildings in the city.
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The redevelopment will reduce the current structure’s energy use by more than 75%, with a commitment to recover, recycle or reuse 95% of the existing building materials. Water consumption is also expected to be halved.
The new design has a life expectancy of 120 years and anticipates carbon payback within 11 years post-construction.
M&S has pledged to cut the whole life carbon of the development by an additional 10%.
Environmental consultants Arup conducted a whole-life carbon assessment (WLCA) which favoured new construction over refurbishment in terms of sustainability benefits.
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By GlobalDataThe project’s reduction in operational energy significantly surpasses the UK government’s carbon reduction target for 2035.
Refurbishment was initially considered but deemed impractical for converting the site into a modern flagship store. After evaluating sixteen different retrofit plans, all were found unfeasible due to the site’s complexity, comprising three buildings of varying heights, sizes, and ages. An independent planning inspector supported this conclusion during the public inquiry.
Montagu Evans’ analysis indicates that the new M&S store would enhance its surroundings near Selfridges by creating pedestrian areas, removing obstructive canopies and introducing tree-lined public spaces.
M&S CEO Stuart Machin stated: “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 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.”
The approval comes after M&S won a legal battle against the previous administration’s decision to block the redevelopment of the flagship Marble Arch store.
