The town council is siding with many Marlovians after objecting to the "ridiculous" and "outdated" plan to develop Marlow Police Station into dozens of retirement flats.

Councillors on Marlow Town Council’s planning committee protested against the proposals at a meeting on Tuesday, citing overdevelopment and limited parking spaces - echoing the fears of many residents who have spoken out so far.

It was confirmed that the 13 parking spaces set to accommodate the 32 retirement flats proposed were within Bucks County Council’s guidelines– as elderly people are considered less likely to own cars.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Suzanne Brown branded the parking requirements “outdated” as people now live longer and people still have cars well in to their old age.

Cllr Brown said: “Apparently the council allow the small number of parking spaces because it is retirement development.

“Apparently it is allowed on the basis that only that percentage of parking spaces are needed because people of that age don’t have a car.

“It is ridiculous - we are all living longer and most people in their 70’s still have a car – those numbers are outdated.

“We are all fitter. If we go back 20 years when people didn’t live as long then I could understand it.”

Churchill’s website admits that spaces on all its developments are limited, and encourages visitors to use offsite parking.

The developer says its proposed scheme has been amended in a number of ways to reflect feedback from residents at the public consultation, to "decrease the overall bulk of the development" and address objections of over-development.

And planning director Andrew Burgess said he is "confident" the number of spaces will be sufficient to meet the needs of residents and visitors.

The station has been up for sale since February last year after Thames Valley Police announced £44.6m of savings had to be made on top of the £58.9m shaved off its budget since 2011/12.

The scheme will be made up of one and two bedroom flats for over 60s complete with a garden, and plans include the development of a smaller custom built station for Marlow police officers.

Plans were also criticised as “overdevelopment” by the planning committee with what it sees as “insufficient” separation from neighbouring homes in Verney Close and Trinity Road.

Residents fear the three story design of the building will overshadow their homes, and have previously criticised developer – Churchill Retirement Living – for keeping them in the dark over plans.