Plans to create a new hotel and ‘fine dining restaurant’ in Penn are set for approval after councillors gave their backing to the proposals.

This is just one of the many applications considered by Buckinghamshire Council during the past seven days.

To view more details for each application, go to the council’s planning portal with the reference number attached.

New hotel at Grade II listed Penn School, Church Road, Penn (23/07721/FU)

Councillors on a council planning committee have recommended that the plans be deferred to the planning director for approval.

Rayners Penn Ltd plans to convert Rayners House, Rayners Lodge and the Gardener’s Bothy into a hotel, following internal and external alterations, repair and refurbishments works.

Its proposals also include a ‘fine dining’ restaurant, bistro, cookery school, a single storey detached ‘wellness spa’, swimming pool, treatment rooms, gym and other facilities.

The proposals also include excavating a lower ground floor adjacent to Rayners House to accommodate a meeting and function room, cinema and wine room, while an underground service tunnel is proposed to connect Rayners House to the new spa facilities.

Cllr Nathan Thomas and Cllr Katrina Wood called in the application for the committee to consider due to concerns of neighbouring residents, including that noise could be created by hotel guests.

Vacant pub conversion into nursery, Blackwell Hall Lane, Ley Hill (PL/23/2286/FA)

Planning officers have refused applicant Mr C Alexander permission to turn the Swan pub into a nursery with associated internal alterations.

His plans for the Grade II listed watering whole, which is believed to have been built in the 17th century, were deemed to have a ‘detrimental impact’ on nearby properties.

Despite their refusal, planners granted listed building consent for ‘alterations to facilitate the change of use to a nursery.

They told the applicant that the listed building consent ‘does not imply the grant of planning permission’.

They said this would also be required before any of the works can be commenced and reminded the applicant that his other application had been refused permission.

New pool building, Mallards Court, Park Lane, Stokenchurch (24/05862/FUL)

The Mr E Hunt’s application for the construction of a single storey pool building with a mezzanine floor and underground rooms has been approved.

New facilities will be housed in a detached building away from the main Victorian property, which is set in 19th century gardens and parkland.

Below the pool, the underground rooms will house a squash court, gym, sauna, changing rooms, a kitchen and storage area.

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