Improving the Public Realm

Oxford Street has become a more enjoyable place to meadander following measures taken to reduce traffic. Yet the easing of traffic has not created a ‘pavement-culture’ - more a linear pedestrian express way! The joy of walking through the West End is in traversing North-South and engaging with the more relaxed cafeculture that does exist in these route-ways.

The Debenhams site has a clean perimeter with fantastic opportunities to create a strong public realm around it and to create a series of individual spaces that unify the new development.

Oxford Street - two large corner footprints that should be exploited to draw people into the retail offer

Vere Street - the opportunity to create a new public square across a new ‘shared surface’ that ties with the church of St Peters

Henrietta Place - a quieter, more formal frontage

Marylebone Lane - an opportunity to use a car-free zone for outdoor dining and seating - catching the afternoon sun

Public Realm opportunities Marylebone Street

Henrietta Place

Oxford Street Vere Street