Responding to the Mayor’s announcement confirming his decision to create a Mayoral Development Corporation to pedestrianise parts of Oxford Street, Westminster Council Leader Adam Hug said:

“While the Mayor’s formal decision today was not the City Council’s preferred outcome, it is far from unexpected, and it is now important for Oxford Street’s future to move forward together.

Since the Mayor’s new approach was made public last autumn, Westminster has worked pragmatically and productively with the GLA to ensure that the plan for Oxford Street more closely meets the needs of businesses, visitors, and residents. For example, our agreements with the GLA, made in February this year, included delivering a transformation east of Oxford Circus very similar in nature to Westminster’s original plans (retaining bus access), enhancing security along the whole street and reducing freight traffic in the wider area. Subject to final decisions on representation, Westminster City Council intends to maintain a strong voice within the Mayoral Development Corporation on behalf of all our stakeholders and particularly the 12,000 people who call the West End home.

Since 2022, Oxford Street has roared back to life after the pandemic. Such is the level of retail confidence that existing brands have spent £118m refitting their stores in the last 12 months alone, according to Savills. New flagship stores include IKEA, HMV and Abercrombie & Fitch with Puma coming soon. We’ve also seen new diversification of ground floor uses to include new experiences such as the Moko Museum. Westminster Council will work constructively with the Mayor’s team to ensure the nation’s high street is reimagined in a way that works for visitors, shoppers, and our residents.”

The Council had set out its reasons to oppose the creation of the MDC in its consultation response here.

However it had welcomed significant progress made through negotiation to improve the Mayor’s proposals (compared to what was first proposed in September 2024) here.