tip: if copying and pasting an email address - remove the space

 

Older Items - Planning News - Planning - April 2021

Changes to planning decisions

In the last year both Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council and Buckinghamshire Council have made changes to their Planning Committees. The net result is that Marlow (and Bisham ) have no representation. Decisions are being made without an understanding of local conditions. This is a worrying development.

 

Pound Lane

A good example of local opinion being ignored is in Pound Lane. An application was approved for the demolishing and rebuilding of an existing house. This was in spite of objections from neighbours, Marlow Town Council and The Marlow Society. The design is completely out of character with surrounding properties. The property will stand out as it will be much larger than its neighbours, is of a very “contemporary” design and is on a corner plot. The Society Is not opposed to contemporary designs. We do expect that the coherence of the design of estates, such as Pound Lane, should be respected. The Planning Committee obviously thinks otherwise.

 

Schools' Boathouse Gossmore Park
The Boathouse Trust is being responsive to worries and has included changes in the new planning submission. It proposes that boats could be rigged on-site (not at riverside) and space has been provided for the proposed Country Park signage. Boats could be carried under the 'spare' bypass arch (not along the Thames Path).

 

However, there remain concerns around local traffic congestion and parking on local roads. Parking will be restricted on-site to rowing coaches and disabled athletes. Experience is that many students are now drivers and their cars would be likely to fill the Gossmore public car park so there will be overflow parking onto local streets.

 

Well End Country Park - battery storage

There is an application to build a 'temporary' battery sub-station in Well End on greenbelt land. This is to act as back-up electric supply for Heathrow Airport. In the Society’s view the proposed life of 25 years is not temporary. Also it is a breach of the Local Plan and is in an area subject to flooding. The Society has objected along with 87 others.

 

Liston Court - footpath from Liston Road

Marlow Society is asking you to support a campaign to formalise the footpath access into Liston Court from Liston Road.

 

An application has been made to build two flats adjacent to the existing building, next to the dentist. The parking for the flats will be where the only disabled access, level, route goes from Liston Road into Liston Court Garden. It is through a brick archway clearly signposted to the Town Centre on one side and to the Car Park on the other. It has been this way since the Liston Court shops were built. If this path is removed disabled persons will have to go via the High Street and Spittal Street to the Liston Road Car Park. Able bodied people would have the option of using the unmade and often muddy path nearer New Court.

 

The Society has made an application to Buckinghamshire Council to recognise this path as a designated public footpath. The key requirement is to demonstrate that the footpath has been used for very many years by many people. The Chairman has sent an email to all Members with details of how to support this application.

 

The developer, Sorbon Estates, are resubmitting their plans for their application bearing in mind our initial comments. However, formalising the footpath on the Rights of Way map will prevent later owners from restricting access.

 

Liston Court Gardens - refresh

In addition to the building of flats, Sorbon Estates are also seeking permission to change the layout of the Gardens. No public consultation has been undertaken. This involves the removal of the path that goes diagonally across the garden in the direction of Cromwell Gardens. The Town Council applied 5 years ago to have this path formally designated. Buckinghamshire Council have yet to do so. The Society will support the Town Council in its endeavours and discussions are underway.

 

Little Marlow - film set

Members should be advised that (at publication date) the plan is to complete filming in the third week of April and to vacate by the end of July. However, there have been extensions before!

 

Spittal Street - Lidl

The arrival of Lidl into the old Waitrose buildings has been well publicised. Local residents have raised concerns regarding increased traffic congestion in Spittal Street, consequent air pollution and, noise from lorries which will be allowed to operate between 7am and 11pm. The Town Council have advised the Society that Lidl’s permitted delivery hours are the same as those within which Waitrose operated. It is therefore unlikely that any change to the formal window will be possible. As Spittal Street is in the AQMA it may be possible to agree some changes to Lidl's operations.

 

Planning applications

A public, searchable, database of applications remains under a Wycombe weblink at:

https://publicaccess.wycombe.gov.uk/idoxpa-web/

 

Richard Parker