Boris Johnson has moved to alter a £100m residential redevelopment of Moxon Street car park, W1, with a proposal for a free school.
In a letter to Westminster council, seen by Estates Gazette, the mayor of London proposes a free school be built on the 0.83-acre Marylebone site, which had been set to be sold for a major residential-led scheme this summer.
Writing to Westminster councillor Danny Chalkley, Johnson said: “Given that the site was originally purchased for education use, and given the need for secondary school places in the borough, a school would seem a fitting use of part of the Moxon Street car park.
“I would urge you to consider whether this might present a viable option for the future of Moxon Street,” he added.
More than 230 expressions of interest were submitted to buy the sought-after site, which was controversially bought by the now-abolished Greater London Council 47 years ago.
The final Moxon Street bidders, CIT, Howard de Walden Estate, Ridgeford and St George, are preparing pre-application submissions for a circa 190,000 sq ft scheme.
Johnson wants to see the Marylebone Boys’ School, which was given the go-ahead by education secretary Michael Gove two months ago, moved to the site.
A source said Lord Nash, parliamentary under secretary of state for schools, is also calling for the site to be used for education purposes.
The interventions mean Westminster could miss its target of choosing a preferred developer this summer.
Jonathan Glanz, Westminster’s cabinet member for housing and property, said: “We are currently considering final bids for a disposal of the site for predominantly residential use, but the proposals also include community and other uses.”
Jones Lang LaSalle and Lambert Smith Hampton were instructed to sell the Moxon Street land last November for around £60m.
joanna.bourke@estatesgazette.com
