To retrofit or knock-down and start anew: What next for the building demolition debate?

clock • 5 min read

The row over the future of Marks & Spencer's Oxford Street store could mark a watershed in how we think about delivering a modern, net zero building stock in the UK, Jacob Loftus, CEO at real estate developer General Projects

Last month saw a landmark decision by Michael Gove to refuse planning permission for Marks & Spencer's proposed new flagship store on Oxford Street. It's not often that planning issues make national headlines,...

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

More on Buildings

New 300 home development becomes 'world's largest' Zero Bills neighbourhood

New 300 home development becomes 'world's largest' Zero Bills neighbourhood

Octopus Energy partners with Prosperity Group to deliver largest Zero Bills scheme to date, guaranteeing residents no home energy bills for a decade

clock 16 April 2026 • 3 min read
'Retrofit, not replacement': UKGBC shares blueprint for decarbonising the built environment

'Retrofit, not replacement': UKGBC shares blueprint for decarbonising the built environment

New reports frame building retrofit and optimisation as key if the UK's built environment is to meet ambitious climate goals

Stuart Stone
clock 14 April 2026 • 4 min read
British Antarctic research building awarded top BREEAM rating in regional first

British Antarctic research building awarded top BREEAM rating in regional first

British Antarctic Survey's new £100m Discovery Building is set to reduce carbon emissions at the site by a quarter

clock 08 April 2026 • 3 min read