A property developer has been granted permission to ‘revitalise’ the shopfront of a former High Street bank in Marlow in the hopes of attracting a ‘fresh new’ retail buyer.

Sorbon Estates, a property investor and developer that owns multiple units in Marlow, has been granted planning permission to install a replacement shopfront and new first-floor windows at the former HSBC bank at 46 High Street.

Sorbon acquired a freehold interest in the site after the closure of HSBC, one of Marlow’s last in-person banking branches, last July.

In planning documents dated February 26, a Buckinghamshire Council officer described the unit as “historic in construction and character” and suggested the remodelling work would “create a more balanced and attractive appearance” at “one of the few modern buildings along the High Street.”

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Adding: “The works (would also) positively contribute to the special character and distinctiveness of the Marlow Conservation Area.”

George Andrews, Assistant Land and Planning Manager for Sorbon said the plans had been designed to “increase footfall on the High Street by making it more vibrant and attractive to the public”.

He added: “We are currently in the process of revitalising the old bank into a fresh new space for retail, making it more useable for a future tenant.

"We look forward to welcoming a new addition to the High Street soon.”