Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner is being urged to approve plans by M&S to scrap its Oxford Street flagship store.

Rayner is currently looking into the controversial proposals, which were blocked by the previous Conservative government, This is Money reported.

The retailer is looking to scrap its flagship site near Marble Arch, London, to replace it with a bigger ten-storey retail and office block.

M&S operations director Sacha Berendji insisted: “Unlocking this investment would send a clear message that the planning system will support sustainable growth.”

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In July 2023, Michael Gove rejected the chain’s redevelopment plans to demolish its Art Deco building.

In response, M&S boss Stuart Machin described the decision as “laughable” and “utterly pathetic”.

He added that the ruling meant that he must now review its future on London’s Oxford Street, which is considered the prime retail location in the country.

The proposals were blocked over concerns that the public benefits of the plan did not outweigh the harm to nearby landmarks, including the grade II listed Selfridges building and nearby conservation areas.

The plan’s failure to reuse existing sources, such as converting the current buildings, and the scheme’s carbon footprint, were also cited as factors.