A new veterinary referral hospital could come to Marlow if new plans are given the green light.

Developers want to convert the Vertiv building, in Globe Park, into a specialist vet referral hospital for Marlow and the surrounding areas, which will also run a new animal charity from within the premises, which they said would be a “big civic advantage”.

It comes after the Fourth Avenue-based building was sold to Charterhouse Property Group which will lease it out to The Ralph, the company behind the vet hospital.

ACD Projects, who will be designing the facility, said the proposal would “help enhance the area’s prestige greatly”, offering 60 new jobs when it opens, increasing to between 85 and 90 over the first five years, and to 180 after eight years.

It comes after plans to build a Travelodge with associated car parking opposite upmarket The Marlow Club were submitted to Wycombe District Council last month.

Thousands of people signed a petition against the construction of the budget hotel over concerns it would impact the future of businesses in Globe Park as well as parking in the area.

They said they chose the site due to a “lack of, and an independently verified need for, a top-tier small animal referral centre” in Marlow, adding that it was an “ideal” location to “serve the local population”.

They are also planning to add an additional 32 parking spaces, claiming the hospital will require 98 car parking spaces, as well as 20 cycle spaces.

They wrote: “Wycombe District Council’s emerging policy highlights that parking is currently an issue across Globe Park and it is reasonable to suggest that any future occupier would need to increase parking at this site.

“…as staff numbers increase, The Ralph plans to develop strategies and schemes for car-sharing and cycling.

“Furthermore, it is understood that due to the current issues of parking at Globe Park, an additional car park is being proposed on the wider site for use by all companies.”

The hospital will be open between 8am and 7pm, seven days a week, all year round.