The developers of a multi-million-pound film studio in Marlow have offered to fund new parking restrictions in the town if an impact survey shows commuters will put stress on off-site roads.
Dido Property Ltd, the applicant behind the proposed Marlow Film Studios project on land near the A404 in Little Marlow, submitted a package of amendments to the planning application last week, following concerns raised by councillors on the Strategic Sites Committee about the development last October.
Among the proposed plans, the developers stated their intention to carry out an off-site parking survey on 42 roads in Marlow to assess whether studio commuters would overwhelm the current infrastructure.
Planning documents state that if the survey found that additional on-street parking is needed in conjunction with the film studio, the developers would make a financial contribution towards the creation of new road markings and signage to enforce restrictions.
The roads stated for the survey include Little Marlow Road, Fieldhouse Lane, Gunthorpe Road and The Croft.
However, a spokesperson for the film studio said they believed the development would have "no negative impacts" on local parking and that the proposed funding purely "guarantees that residents in Marlow and Little Marlow ultimately have control of their own parking, via the local authority".
READ MORE: Appeals and arguments: What's next for Marlow Film Studios in 2024?
The proposed amendments to the initial planning application total investment of over £20 million into local transport, including an upgrade of the A404 Westhorpe Interchange to resolve "long-standing capacity issues".
Plans to create a new public bus service and reserve 36 hectares of land on and off-site to “complement the vision” of the Little Marlow Country Park were also submitted.
Robert Laycock, CEO of the project, said the proposed improvements were “only a part of the major benefits (the development will bring) for the local area, its residents and the economy”.
Local campaigners, however, continue to argue that the impact on the local environment of developing the site would not be offset by economic benefits and maintain their “fundamental objections” to the project.
A representative for the group Save Marlow’s Greenbelt wrote on social media: “There is absolutely nothing in (the) additional submitted documents that changes the fundamental problem that this is the wrong location for the project.
“It will be hugely detrimental to the environment, local infrastructure and the community.”
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