Credit: iStock.com – Annamoskvina
The redevelopment of Marks & Spencer’s Marble Arch store has been approved by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, ending a three-year planning battle centered on embodied carbon concerns.
M&S originally submitted plans in March 2021 to demolish and rebuild the flagship site. However, campaigners and environmental groups opposed the project, arguing that refurbishing the building would preserve its significant embodied carbon and align with the UK’s sustainability goals.
In 2022, then-Secretary of State Michael Gove blocked the plans, calling for a focus on retrofit solutions.
M&S said a detailed whole-life carbon assessment (WLCA) by Arup concluded rebuilding was the most sustainable option.
The report highlighted that a retrofit would not only retain structural flaws but also potentially generate more embodied carbon than demolition and rebuild.
M&S CEO Stuart Machin stated, ‘We tested 16 different retrofit options, but none were viable due to the complexity of the site.’
M&S states the design prioritises sustainability and circularity, with 95% of the existing building materials being recovered, reused, or recycled.
It says the new building is projected to achieve carbon payback within 11 years and deliver a 75% reduction in energy use compared to the current site. It also exceeds the government’s 78% carbon reduction target for 2035.
