M&S chair: ‘Gove never engaged with us on Oxford Street ruling’
The chair of Marks and Spencer has lashed out at Michael Gove over the planning row centring on its Oxford Street store redevelopment, saying he has “never engaged” with the high street favourite.
Archie Norman made his comments about the secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities, speaking to Nick Ferrari on LBC at Breakfast today.
He made the comments after the High Court ruled a majority in favour of Marks and Spencer’s judicial review in March regarding a rejected planning permission for its flagship building on Oxford Street.
The retail giant sought planning permission to demolish its flagship store at 456-472 Oxford Street in order to construct a new 10-storey mixed-use building comprising retail, café, restaurant, offices and a gym.
Westminster City Council granted Marks and Spencer’s application back in 2021, and the Mayor of London confirmed that he would not seek to dismiss it. However, Gove’s decision to refuse planning permission for the construction of the site on Oxford Street has led to a major rift.
Speaking on LBC today, Norman, a former Conservative MP, accused the government of hypocrisy, saying: “The Prime Minister and the Chancellor talk about the need for investment, the need for green energy. This is a £100m-plus investment in regeneration for a very green building. And it’s been held up.. for three years now.
“One year, at the whim, really, of a Secretary of State, who’s been found to have made his judgement wrongly on five different counts by the High Court.
He added: “You can’t have planning decisions made, instead of on precedent and planning law, on the likes and dislikes or peccadilloes of an individual who, incidentally, has never ever engaged with us.
“I don’t think he’s ever been around this building. He may have been in to buy his pyjamas or something. I don’t know.”
Norman also refused to be drawn on whether the Tories could still win the next election.
When asked whether Gove had been in touch, Norman said: “Not at all and, in fact, I reached out to him through his permanent secretary and said, why don’t we have a conversation about this, and I was invited to send an email.”
“So my invitation to him, here on LBC now, is you can’t buy a house without seeing it. Come round our buildings. Stand on the roof and see all the carbon-emitting devices we have to keep it warm or keep it cool.”
“Come and see the concrete core. Come and see how we can’t change a lightbulb without taking precautions because of the asbestos. Come and see the Soviet-style concrete slabs at the back and then form your view. Because if you don’t engage, you can’t make a decision on what he presumably thinks are aesthetic grounds”
More recently, Canada Corporation Planning Applications-Sub Committee planning officers approved plans by Sheppard Robson and Diller Scofidio + Renfro to demolish Bastion House and its neighbouring building, the former Museum of London.
However, communities secretary Michael Gove put a pause on the demolition plans by issuing an Article 31 order.
A Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities spokesperson said: “These claims are misleading.
“Ministers cannot engage with interested parties on planning cases which are before or may come before them.
“We have started the process of redetermining this application and cannot comment further.”