Crowds gathered for a test car-free day in Oxford Street in September, ‘…the day the fightback began to rescue this street’ according to mayor Sir Sadiq Khan [Mayor of London]

PLANS to pedestrianise Oxford Street moved a step closer to becoming reality after a body set up to drive the regeneration project convened for the first time.

The Oxford Street Development Corporation (OSDC) met at City Hall in docklands on Wednesday to approve a framework and draft budget.

It also made appointments to senior roles and approved a members’ allowance scheme.

A separate consultation on the designs for pedestrianising Oxford Street is running until January 16.

Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan has appointed Nabeel Khan, who worked for Lambeth Council and was a non-executive director of Be First regeneration firm, as chief executive of the OSDC.

Interim chief executive is Phil Graham, executive director of good growth at the Greater London Authority (GLA).

Experienced leader in retail and development Scott Parsons is confirmed as OSDC board chair.

He is a former non-executive director of the New West End Company.

The board agreed the mayor’s proposal to hand the NWEC business improvement body non-voting rights.

The organisation has nominated chief executive Dee Corsi for the role.

The mayor has appointed OSDC board members to represent the relevant local authorities, including council leaders Richard Olszewski for Camden Council and Adam Hug (above) for Westminster City Council.

Sir Sadiq has also appointed Stuart Love, chief executive of Westminster City Council and Manisha Patel, Westminster’s director of strategic projects.

Other board members include: Dr Margaret Casely-Hayford, Howard Dawber, Es Devlin, Keith Edelman, Emir Feisal, Asma Khan, Caroline Rush, and Kate Willard.

The board is expected to meet again at City Hall in mid-February and there are plans to approve the draft budget in March and block off traffic on Oxford Street by the summer.