The vision for Oxford Street

FRESH designs for how the city council wants to reinvigorate the Oxford Street “district” were presented to property owners this week.

Before and after shots, unveiled ahead of a formal planning application, show how Great Titchfield Street, Old Cavendish and Oxford Street could be revamped with more trees, seating areas, wider pavements and modern crossings.

The council said it had come to an agreement with the New West End Company, which represents 600 businesses in the West End, about what it describes as a “public realm enhancement programme”.

Council cabinet member for planning and economic development Geoff Barraclough said: “This needs to be a place local communities, residents and visitors can feel pride in. The West End constantly needs to adapt if it is to continue to be a draw to shoppers. We have some world-beating brands such as Selfridges, John Lewis, and now IKEA, to name just a few, but we need to innovate and ensure we can offer a fantastic experience too.”

The new chief executive of New West End Company Dee Corsi said the opening of the Elizabeth line was helping to boost footfall and it was important to continue “capitalising” on the “momentum” in sales.

Oxford Street as it stands today

He said the Oxford Street plans represented a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to regenerate one of the world’s most iconic retail and leisure destinations”.

The plans are due to cost around £60million over the next three years, compared with the previous £120million plans that were scrapped by Labour when they took control of Westminster City Council last year.
Work is expected to begin in autumn 2023 and “the overarching ambition” is for the face-lift to be finished by spring 2026.

In 2018 there was a huge row about pedestrianisation of Oxford Street with residents in surrounding areas criticising the plan due to fears of displaced traffic.

The issue became so toxic going into the council elections that year that the Conservative administration pulled the plug on the plans that were being pushed forward by London mayor Sadiq Khan.

He said before the plans had to be scrapped that Oxford Street would have been fully pedestrianised by 2022.