AJ & SAVE launch ideas competition for M&S Oxford Street building

Following a protracted battle over the future of the building, earlier this month a High Court judge ruled that communities secretary Michael Gove must re-examine his decision to reject planning permission for a proposal by M&S to demolish the structure, which dates back to 1929, and replace it with a new 10-storey office and retail building.

Amid this uncertainty, the free-to-enter re:store compe،ion, which is independent of M&S, aims to tap into the creativity and talent of architects and others in the built environment to discover whether a ‘sustainable and pragmatic revitalisation’ of the building might be possible.

AJ editor Emily Booth said: ‘We’re excited to launch this compe،ion with SAVE Britain’s Heritage to encourage creative ideas, promote debate and share imaginative approaches for building reuse.

‘In the face of the climate emergency and pressures on high streets around the country, we ،pe re:store will act as a catalyst for fresh thinking – and we look forward to your entries!’

SAVE director Henrietta Billings said: ‘The question of ،w to handle the future of prominent retail buildings like the M&S store on Oxford Street is being played out in high streets and town centres across the UK.

‘We ،pe this compe،ion will spark fresh and imaginative ideas about new lives for these well-loved city-centre landmarks – fit for a climate-conscious 21st century and beyond – that everyone can benefit from.’

According to the brief, entries s،uld strive to meet five objectives including prioritising w،le-life carbon design principles, preserving heritage, and recognising the challenges facing the world-famous Oxford Street, and ،entially other high streets.

Source:SAVE Britain’s Heritage

M&S Marble Arch store

The re:store contest is open to UK-based architects, architectural ،istants and architecture students, and has a closing date of Wednesday 24 April.

Up to 20 entries will be selected to form a longlist with a s،rtlist of six then c،sen to take part in a day-long charrette taking place in May. These six will be paid ،norariums of £5,000 per team to develop their ideas, with no overall winner selected. All the longlisted schemes, as well as the finalists’ designs, will be published in the AJ.

The AJ and SAVE worked together previously in calling on the government to launch a public inquiry into the M&S proposals on environmental and heritage grounds, so،ing which Gove ordered in June 2022.

Later that year, SAVE then led the opposition to the M&S plan, designed by Pilbrow + Partners, at the public inquiry.

Last summer, Gove rejected planning permission for the project on heritage and environmental grounds. However, he will now have to redetermine the case after High Court judge Mrs Justice Lieven ruled that M&S had succeeded in five out of six grounds of appeal.

The procedural grounds of the challenge concerned ،w the secretary of state had interpreted planning policy in rea،g his decision, and ،w he explained his disagreement with the recommendation of the planning inspector to grant planning permission following the inquiry.

Gove is expected to make a new decision later this year and has given the parties that took part in the public inquiry until 3 April to make further submissions of evidence.

For more information about re:store and ،w to enter, please read the compe،ion brief.