The biggest changes to central London in 2023
By Adrian Zorzut, Local Democracy Reporter
Central London is could witness some massive changes in 2023 with the face of Oxford Street’s iconic Marks and Spencer store set to be decided, big changes to the Old War Offices expected and major traffic and transport updates in the pipeline.
The capital is set to experience a transformative year as some our most beloved streets and monuments get a well-needed facelift.
Here are a few developments expected to shake up London next year.
Marks and Spencer store on Oxford Street
The future of Marks and Spencer’s flagship Oxford Street store will soon be decided after a public inquiry into controversial plans to knock it down finished in November.
The supermarket giant doubled down on claims it will leave Oxford Street if the building isn’t razed and rebuilt. They said the motion wasn’t a threat but a business case after painting a bleak picture of a “failing” Oxford Street plagued by candy stores, souvenir shops and hiked rents.
M&S wants to replace the nearly 100-year-old Grade II building with a smaller shop, offices, a gym, an arcade and a café. Campaigners claim demolishing the historic development would release 40,000 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere and are fighting for a refurbishment instead.
The inquiry follows Secretary of State Michael Gove’s decision to call in the plans earlier this year. A decision will be announced after the inquiry has weighed up all the information. If approved, it could lead to a shake up towards how projects on Grade II buildings on the popular street are handled.
London’s ‘Time Square’ on Tottenham Court Road
This futuristic building, dubbed “London’s Time Square”, on Denmark Street could change the face of Tottenham Court Road with huge pieces of art projected over the famous Central London street.
The installation opened in autumn but the much-anticipated light show isn’t expected to be revealed until 2023. In the meantime, developers Outernet say the Now Building will only display cinematic adverts.
Construction company Consolidated was given permission to restore Grade II listed sections of the famous street and on neighbouring Denmark Place and St Giles Square.
The National Gallery Whitcomb Street entrance
Westminster City councillors approved controversial plans in November to refurb the iconic gallery’s entrance on Whitcomb Street in a bid to make it more “accessible” to visitors.
The £35m refurb of the entrance to the Salisbury Wing will be completed in time to celebrate the gallery’s bicentenary celebrations in 2024.
Critics had claimed the refurb would result in irreversible damage to the Grade I-listed entrance.
The proposals approved by Westminster City council will see a complete remodelling of the gallery’s front gates and ground-floor entrances, stairs and lobby.
It’s expected that the Egyptian-themed pillars will be replaced to make way for a new retail space and part of the ceiling taken out to allow for more natural light.
The Old War Office in Whitehall
The historic Old War Office in Whitehall is set to be turned into a fancy food hall decked out with nine restaurants and three bars.
The extravagant re-do of the 760,000 square feet building, which was once occupied by Winston Churchill, David Lloyd George, Lord Kitchener and Herbert Asquith, is being carried out by the people behind the eloquent hotel chain Raffles.
Constructed in 1906, the Edwardian Baroque building was home to the British Army’s administration during both World Wars and the Cold War, according to Time Out.
So far only one restaurant, Italian eatery Paper Moon, has revealed it’ll be opening up in the Grade II building, but more are set to be announced.
The Old War Office is also going to include a 125-room, “world-class” Raffles hotel, 85 luxury apartments which range in size from studios up to 5-bedroom flats, according to Ardmore Group, which is carrying out the renovation. There will also be a cinema room, communal lounges and wellness spaces.
Pictured top: The Now Building is set to transform Tottenham Court Road (Picture: The Outernet)
