A REVAMPED sports centre at Handy Cross moved closer to becoming reality after a planning application was approved last night - and councillors also gave the thumbs-up to relocating a running track to Green Belt land at Little Marlow.

A fuller application giving exact details of the £30m project will be made at a later date, but Wycombe District Council's decision to approve the first one is a major step forward.

The authority's planning committee agreed in principle to the scheme, which will lead to a refurbished sports centre, 150 room hotel, food store, offices and coachway transport hub.

And, more controversially, the committee agreed to move the running track currently at Handy Cross to Westhorpe Farm in Little Marlow after previous plans to relocate it to Hazlemere were rejected.

Many members said they were opposed to building work taking place at the site, which is in Green Belt land.

But planning officer Lucy Bellinger said Government guidelines stated projects for sport and recreational purposes can be considered as appropriate development for Green Belt land.

Cllr Chaudhary Ditta said: "I think this site is made to measure. It's very well screened naturally and there's no intrusion to anyone.

"I think it's going to be a wonderful opportunity for High Wycombe to have a very capable eight lanes of running track."

Cllr Sebert Graham added: "After many years of searching for a suitable location for a track, I think this site, even though it's in Green Belt, is not going to cause harm.

"If we let this go, I don't see where else in the district we'll find another site that's more suitable than this one."

The track's eight lanes would be green instead of the traditional red to blend in with the surroundings, while the floodlights would be of the lowest permissible illumination level of 75 luxe. The all weather pitch at Handy Cross has 400 luxe floodlights.

The floodlights would be retractable down to 4.5m when not in use, rising to 15m when events are being held. Restrictions have been put in place preventing the track being used after 9pm.

Concerns at traffic levels along the A4155 were raised because of the road's accident rate, but members were told collisions were down to driver error rather than the layout of the road.

The plans were passed by seven votes to five, while members voted overwhelmingly in favour of redeveloping Handy Cross.

Cllr Hugh McCarthy said: "We've the makings of something quite exciting here. It has many benefits. We are desperate for new jobs, we have a rising population - with that comes a need to create jobs, which this does.

"It will be brilliantly connected to other transport hubs. These are all positive things."

Cllr Graham said: "I think it will enhance High Wycombe, especially if the transportation that's been suggested comes to fruition. It can make High Wycombe one of the most attractive towns in the area."

The number of car parking spaces at the sports centre would decrease from the 370 it currently has to 323, which was queried by several councillors. Many members also raised concerns at the plans for a food store, saying it could impact negatively on shops in the town centre.

But they felt on balance the benefits outweighed the negatives, with ten of the twelve votes cast in favour of allowing the plans.