Marlow Film Studios plots appeal to overturn rejection of £750m project

Marlow Film Studios is set to appeal Buckinghamshire Council’s decision to block its £750m film studio development, a project backed by high-profile Hollywood figures, including Avatar director James Cameron.

City A.M. understands the Studios expects to lodge the appeal with the Planning Inspectorate in early September, though the exact timing is subject to the vagaries of the planning process.

The council rejected the application in May, citing concerns about the project’s impact on the green belt, particularly its potential to cause “spatial and visual harm” to the area.

The site in question, a former quarry and landfill adjacent to the A404, was earmarked for transformation into a major film production hub, which the developers claim would provide 4,000 jobs and generate £3.2bn in economic growth over its first decade.

In its appeal, Marlow Film Studios intends to request a public inquiry, which could begin as early as next year if the Planning Inspectorate deems the appeal valid.

If it goes ahead, the Inspectorate could re-examine the economic benefits of the proposal against green belt policies to ensure that the council’s decision aligns with planning law.

The appeal will focus on planning law as it stood at the time of the original decision, rather than any shifts in government policy.

“In spite of the Council’s decision to refuse our application, we remain confident of the strength of our case, and of the benefits that our investment will bring to the local community and the wider national economy,” Marlow Film Studios said in a statement.

“The investment presents a significant opportunity to utilise and substantially improve a despoiled former landfill site, making good use of a site that is presently unusable for domestic buildings or agriculture. 

“Our hope is to build an institution of global standing for the British film industry that Marlow will be proud of,” it added.

The proposed development also includes plans for investment in local infrastructure, including improvements to traffic systems and sustainable public transport. 

However, opposition to the project remains strong, with critics arguing that it would worsen existing traffic congestion and conflict with policies designed to preserve the green belt for outdoor sport and recreation.

Joy Morrissey, the Conservative MP for Beaconsfield, has publicly urged the studio not to pursue the appeal, describing the project as “the wrong development in the wrong location.”

Ultimately though, the outcome of this appeal could come down to intervention by the Secretary of State, who has the authority to “call in” projects of national significance. It is understood that Marlow Film Studios has made no formal lobbying efforts in this regard.