Buckinghamshire County Council and the project developers have signed a Section 106 agreement.
The long-running story around proposals to build a £3.5 billion studio complex on the site of a former quarry near Marlow appears to have taken a step closer to completion with the signing of legal documentation by the local authority and Dido Property, the company behind the development.
Backed by industry figures including Oscar-winning director James Cameron, the plans were revised following rejection by Buckinghamshire County Council. A lengthy planning process led to an appeal to the UK Planning Inspectorate with a Public Inquiry held earlier this year. The matter is currently being considered by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
However, documents uploaded to the council’s website last week show that a Section 106 agreement has been made, outlining a number of mitigation measures that must be undertaken by Dido in the event of approval being granted.
Under the terms of the Section 106, Dido must provide new bus stops and provide bus services for a period of at least ten years once the complex is open. The company is also obliged to notify the council when building work starts. According to the document, Dido has also agreed to deliver an apprenticeship programme providing at least 60 new training places per year once the studio is up and running, with “reasonable endeavours” taken to ensure at least 20 of each year’s intake are local people and 40 per cent selected from culturally, ethnically or racially diverse groups.
Dido must work with local schools and organisations to enable educational activities at the site with employment fairs offering opportunities to people from the area. The agreement also states footpaths and cycleways must be provided to the council’s satisfaction before the studios are occupied.
Further mitigation is to be provided for local residents, if the proposal is approved. The Secretary of State is expected to make a final decision on the project, having “called in” the application last October.
