Planning permission was refused by Buckinghamshire Council – among other reasons – on the grounds that the development failed to demonstrate the very special circumstances necessary to justify inappropriate development in the Green Belt, as well as causing harm to the spatial strategy of the plan through the loss of part of the Country Park, landscape harm in particular to the Thames Valley, and adjoining Chilterns National Landscape, harm to residential amenity of neighbouring occupiers and the failure to demonstrate that the development can be carried out without severe residual impacts to the highway network on in a way which sufficiently promotes active and sustainable travel and is safe and suitable for all highway users. 

The appeal has been recovered by the Secretary of State for her own determination.

Simon Bird KC and Esther Drabkin-Reiter act for Buckinghamshire Council, the local planning authority, instructed by Laura Lee Briggs of the Council’s Legal Services. Claire Nevin, instructed by Sophie Rae of PMV Planning, acts for two rule 6(6) parties, Little Marlow Parish Council and Save Marlow’s Green Belt.