The following letter has been sent to the Wycombe District Council. It reflects the expressed views of the large number of members who have contacted the Chairman, Ron Waters.

THE MARLOW SOCIETY

Sarah Nicholson,
Planning & Sustainability,                                             PO Box No.3078
Wycombe District Council,                                           Marlow,
Queen Victoria Road,                                                    SL7 2WQ.
High Wycombe,
Bucks, HP11 1BB.

27 January 2011

Dear Mrs. Nicholson,

Planning Application 10/07921. Change of use of existing Bank (Class A2) to Café/Bar (Class

A4) including creation of ancillary offices, staff customer toilets and 2x staff bedsits on

first floor, retention of second floor manager’s flat, creation of new staff kitchen

,construction of single storey side extension and creation of rear landscaped courtyard

seating area to existing rear car park area and associated internal and external

alterations.

The Marlow Society has considered the above planning application and wishes to lodge its

strong objection to the proposed change of use of and alterations to the premises currently

occupied by Lloyds Bank TSB in the High Street. This is a busy branch of Lloyds and it would

be a serious loss to many local people and businesses having a similar affect to the closure

of the town centre Post Office, now reinstated by overwhelming local demand. The Society

would submit that this proposal ignores the important guiding principle, contained within

the emerging Development Framework, that new development and proposed uses should seek to

promote the ‘day to day’ requirements and preferred uses of local residents (Core Strategy

CS5).

Marlow now has many outlets for the sale and consumption of alcohol and the proliferation of

this class use and premises with late night licensing will contribute significantly to the

deterioration of the character of our town centre. The Society is of the view that the

existing class use of this building serves the day to day requirements of the town’s

residents to a much greater extent than yet another drinking venue. Late night (and small

hour) drunken behaviour is already a cause for concern in the town centre and should not be

further encouraged.

It is also of  concern that the rear of these premises will be developed for the purpose of

outside drinking which has the high probability of late night disturbance to adjacent

residents. The Council will, of course, be aware that the adjacent Portlands site (M5) has

the prescribed policy for residential development and any proximate development should

respect the immediate environment to ensure the quiet enjoyment of the future residents on

this site.

Not only is the likelihood of social intrusion of the proposed development to the rear of

this building of concern but the design and use of materials is not in keeping with this old

and historic building which has been a familiar and accepted part of the town centre and the

High Street scene since the early part of the last century. The proposed construction does

not sit well with the building to which it is attached and does not enhance the town’s

Conservation Area thereby contravening the retained Conservation Area policies HE8 and HE9.

Furthermore there appears to be no provision for car parking for either customers or

employees (said to be some 25) for the proposed use, and, together with the loss of the

existing parking area, the town centre will have its parking problem significantly enlarged

with an increase of our ‘on street’ and unsocial parking problems.

For these reasons, the Marlow Society requests that this application is refused by your

Council.

Yours sincerely,

Ron Waters,
Chairman.