A major player in Marlow has revealed two sets of “exciting” new plans it say it hopes will transform a key part of the town.

Shanly Group wants to overhaul the Anglers Court precinct on Spittal Street, opening up the pavement, installing circular benches and completely redesigning the area’s shopfronts.

The new plans are an extension to the £100,000 Spittal Street upgrade – revealed by the MFP in January – in conjunction with Marlow Town Council and Wycombe District Council.

It comes as a revised set of plans emerged for Windsor House - a block of flats and Marks and Spencer store directly opposite, which it says addresses many residents’ initial concerns.

Shanly Operations director Tamra Booth told the MFP the changes will give the area a “wow factor”.

She said: “We’re really excited about it. It’s going to really clean up the area. It’s much nicer to have a proper gateway into the town centre starting at Spittal Street. That’s the whole idea of the plan.

“It’s a great little street Spittal Street and it attracts independents as well, it’s important as it’s not all about the High Street, it’s about the town as a while. It’s really exciting.

“We like to be involved, it’s through discussions with local people that you get some joined up thinking and it’s been from talking to the town council that we’ve been able to really help in Spittal Street and hopefully rolled out across the rest of the town.”

An application for planning permission to carry out the Anglers Court upgrade has been made this week.

The current flower beds will be removed under the plans – as would two of the trees in front of the shops - and replaced with circular benches around the remaining two trees, which the company will help open up the area.

If successful, work set to begin alongside the original Spittal Street upgrade plan, which will feature new lighting, paving, improved drainage and an ‘informal’ raised crossing area.

The revised Windsor House plan sees a slight downsize in accommodation and a redesigned frontage.

And Shanly Group says it has taken on board much of the criticism and advice, installing an entrance on Spittal Street, making most of the flats dual aspect and rearranging the parking layout.

However, it has already been criticised by the Marlow Society, with chairman Martin Blunkell calling it “inappropriate” and councillor Alex Collingwood labelling it a “pastiche”.

The property giant was founded by businessman Michael Shanly, who climbed 32 places on the rich list to 319 over the last year with a fortune of £320m.

The firm regularly comes under fire from residents concerned about the influence it has in Marlow.

But Ms Booth insists the firm has a special affinity for Marlow, and does not see its position as one of wielding power.

She said: “Power isn’t in our vocabulary, Marlow is a town that’s local to us and we really care about it. The more we can do in our own little way with the shops we own to keep it going for more and more years and keep it a destination place the better.

“You got to keep looking at what you can do to improve a place.

“It’s exciting to be part of Marlow. We don’t count numbers or think we’re bigger and better than anybody else. It’s not what we’re about.”