Campaign group SAVE has written to Michael Gove to urge him to block M&S’ Marble Arch store redevelopment for a second time, despite the High Court ruling that his original decision to reject the plans was “unlawful”.
Gove used his powers to block M&S redevelopment plans last year, which would see it demolish its existing flagship and rebuild a new store, however M&S won its legal appeal in March.
But, as Gove reopens his investigation into M&S’s development proposal, SAVE has urged him to veto the plans again as it said that events since the initial planning decision supported a block on the redevelopment, according to The Telegraph.
The group highlighted proposals currently under consultation at Westminster Council that would block the bulldozing of properties that could be improved by renovations.
SAVE director Henrietta Billings said: “M&S’s destructive plans were conceived more than six years ago and they’re looking increasingly outdated.
“So much has changed since then, from our understanding of the sustainability impacts of demolition and re-building from scratch – to the widespread public interest in this case and growing awareness about the need for change.”
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M&S is also thought to have submitted new evidence to Gove to support the redevelopment.
The retailer’s operations director Sacha Berendji said there was “nothing new in SAVE’s submission” and said it had provided a legal commitment to reduce the carbon footprint of the development.
He added: “We hope on the basis of this new evidence that the secretary of state approves the scheme and demonstrates that this government supports sustainable investment in Britain’s high streets and town centres.”
A Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities spokesman told the newspaper: “We acknowledge the judgement and have started the process of redetermining this application. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”
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