AHMM scheme on same stretch of road as M&S Marble Arch plan stalled by Michael Gove intervention
Westminster City Council is tonight set to approve AHMM-designed proposals to largely demolish a 1970s shopping centre on Oxford Street and redevelop the site with a taller scheme boasting four terraces and nearly twice as much office space.
The practice鈥檚 plans for the West One Shopping Centre, above the southern entrance to Bond Street underground station, were tabled to appear before a meeting last month. But the session was scrapped after political control of the authority changed from Conservative to Labour in the local elections.
Under AHMM鈥檚 scheme, drawn up for British Land and Norges Bank Investment Management, the top four storeys of the shopping centre would be completely demolished, and its first and ground floor would be partly removed 鈥� along with the facades of the retained sections of the building.
The structure would be rebuilt with nine storeys and terraces with greenery at the third-, fifth-, sixth- and seventh-floor levels.
The West One Shopping Centre is around 200m east of Marks & Spencer鈥檚 flagship Marble Arch branch, which Westminster approved the redevelopment of in November last year 鈥� despite concerns about the environmental impact of the project. Housing secretary Michael Gove is currently deciding whether to call in the proposals for ministerial determination.
Recommending the AHMM scheme for approval, Westminster planning officers said the joint-venture applicants had stated it was not feasible to refurbish the existing structure. However they said the proposals would retain all of the existing substructure and 鈥渁bout half鈥� of the existing superstructure.
Government heritage adviser Historic England did not offer any comments on the proposals.
AHMM is also behind plans to turn the former flagship of collapsed retailer Debenhams at 334 Oxford Street into a mixed-use scheme.
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