News

Film studio application on the planning portal

The Marlow Film Studio planning application has appeared on Buckinghamshire’s planning portal with reference number 22/06443/FULEA. Our volunteers and hired experts are currently scanning through the 400(!) documents. We are also aware that there is an administrative issue with the application, so we are awaiting Buckinghamshire Council’s response to that.

We will issue detailed guidance on how to object, with our suggested top reasons to object as soon as we can.

Marlow Film Studio responds to our open letter

On 26th May, we invited Dido Property Limited (Guernsey) to a public debate. We eventually received a response to our open letter. In essence, they have declined the invitation and refused to engage in a public debate to answer public questions. Their consultations have not provided enough information and are misleading in parts. Questions posed and clarifications sought remain unanswered.

Save Marlow’s Greenbelt is obviously disappointed with this decision and the refusal to debate openly and fairly with the public.

Donate to Save Marlow’s Greenbelt now

The planning application for the film studio project, proposed by Dido Property Limited (Guernsey), has been submitted to the council, who are now validating the documents provided.

We need to engage a professional planning consultant to go through all the documents with a fine toothcomb to object with undisputable reasons. This means we need funds now more than ever.

Most people have donated at least £20, but several have donated more, for which we are grateful. If you can, please donate via JustGiving, PayPal or bank transfer.

Open Letter to the Directors of Dido Property Limited (Guernsey)

On Thursday 26th May we sent the following open letter to the Directors of Dido Property Limited (Guernsey):

The construction of a film studio in Marlow will have a significant impact on the environment, on the character of the area and on the daily lives of local people. You have made it clear that you believe the impact will be beneficial whereas we, at SMG, believe that it will be detrimental.

Your consultation activities and our campaigning has resulted in residents and local organisations being presented with conflicting arguments about the merits of the development. This has caused uncertainty and confusion about many important issues and consequently made it difficult for them to form a considered opinion.

We believe that the best way to resolve this is to have the arguments for and against the development held up to public scrutiny. Therefore, we invite three directors of Dido to participate in a public debate with three members of SMG. A neutral moderator will raise questions around an agreed set of topics (economy, environment, traffic etc) and each side will argue their position. We propose that the event takes place shortly after the application has been submitted.

We trust that you recognise the importance of allowing the public to hear both sides of the argument and therefore we hope you will accept this invitation.

The Trustees of Save Marlow’s Greenbelt

Save Marlow’s Greenbelt on MarlowFM this Friday

MarlowFM’s Malcolm Parr will be dedicating a show on Friday at 10 am to the Marlow Film Studio plans, as the planning application has been submitted.

The first half of the show will be dedicated to discussion with the developers, represented by Steve McAdam, the director of the “public consultation agency” Soundings, hired by Dido Property Limited (Guernsey). The second half will feature people from Save Marlow’s Greenbelt to discuss the impact of the proposed project and our main objections.

Listen live on FM 97.5 or marlowfm.co.uk this Friday from 10 am. Do show your support on social media (Facebook, Twitter) and tag @MarlowFM.

UPDATE: listen again on the MarlowFM website (Good Morning Marlow > Friday 27th May 10 AM show) or download the MP3.

Traffic. Congestion. Pollution.

Let’s be clear about the reality for local residents as opposed to the PR spin of perceived glamour behind the barbed wire fence. Show your support for our cause with these A4 posters (PDF here and here) to print out and display in your window or other suitable location.

What happens to our precious wildlife?

Did you know our local greenbelt is a vital resource for numerous protected wildlife species? The land currently under threat between Marlow and Little Marlow is a rich mixed wildlife habitat including lakes, grassland, woodland and hedgerows.

Regular sightings and evidence include 3 species of owls, 7 species of bats, 3 species of wild orchids, hobby, badgers, kingfishers, otters, stag beetles, peregrine falcons, newts, kestrels, toads, red kites, hedgehogs, skylarks and many many more.

What happens when we remove their breeding and foraging habitats? Simple, they perish. Many species require a territory or vegetation/geology specific conditions to thrive. When these are removed the creatures can no longer exist.

The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. We must do everything we can to stop the decline, by safeguarding these precious habitats.

The State of Nature Report identifies UK wildlife in serious decline, with 1 in 7 species now at risk of extinction. Loss of habitat through development is a major cause. Only last week, the Office for Environmental Protection released a statement that existing laws are failing to slow the damage to land, air and water.

Go and admire our local natural diversity this spring. And support our cause to ensure it remains there for future generations to enjoy.

How big is a sound stage?

According to the pre-submission information, a sound stage at Marlow Film Studio will be about 5.5 double-decker buses long and almost 6 giraffes tall. And there will be at least 13 of those. These eyesores will be visible from far & wide, including Winter Hill and the Chilterns AONB. This is simply not suitable for Marlow’s Greenbelt.

Film studios: all change!

Recently announced changes to local film studios show how the landscape is constantly moving and rapidly expanding. Or should it be contracting, given Netflix’s share losses?

In any case, Pinewood announced that its expansion plan, which received the green light from planning only last December will be changed. The “training centre and visitor attraction” is being dropped in favour of… more studio space.

Only last week experienced studio operator Stage Fifty announced plans to make its temporary planning application at the Wycombe Air Park in Booker permanent (for 5 years). This area was marked in the 2019 Local Plan as a strategic employment area (Policy HW15). The studio proposers are claiming that the plans are for a “world-class sustainable” film studio that would “establish High Wycombe as a hub for global film and TV production”. Does that sound familiar?

Both cases show that 1) planning proposals are readily altered or even made (partially) retrospectively and 2) there is likely to be more local studio space available, further smashing the windows of the economic case for a film studio in Marlow’s Greenbelt.

Spreading the word at the Marlow May Fayre

Volunteers from Save Marlow’s Greenbelt talked to the visitors at the Marlow May Fayre to explain all the threats to our local greenbelt. We were pleased to hear so much support for our cause – almost everyone opposed the developments. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to chat. We look forward to continuing to spread the word.