Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential effect of Crossrail development on existing retailers and traders in Tin Pan Alley, Denmark Street.

Crossrail’s development is not impacting on existing retailers and traders in Tin Pan Alley. The site the Hon Member refers to is owned by another developer, Consolidated Developments.　 The buildings on Denmark Street are not required by Crossrail or London Underground for the upgrade of Tottenham Court Road station.　 Consolidated Developments acquired the site in 1996 and planning permission was granted by the London Borough of Camden in November 2013. Whilst the development site is situated adjacent to the London Underground / Crossrail worksite, the proposed development itself is a private venture and entirely separate from the Crossrail works.

Crossrail, in conjunction with TfL and Camden and Westminster Councils, is working to improve the urban realm around the eastern end of Oxford Circus.　 This includes a new piazza at St Giles Square that will re-establish the historic links between Oxford Street and Covent Garden as well as making it easier and safer for pedestrians to move into Dean Street and Soho Square.　 Crossrail is also bringing the first new West End theatre in over a decade to Soho and recently announced they have gained private sponsorship for the project’s art programme at Tottenham Court Road.