LORD Lucan is more likely to appear in Marlow than a resident taking a bus to pick up a pizza from a new takeaway, a councillor claims.

Cllr Alex Collingwood, who was leader of Wycombe District Council until May, strongly opposed Domino's plan, which was passed on Wednesday night.

He rubbished suggestions that nearby bus stops would ease traffic and parking problems.

He told the planning committee to reject the plan for a variety of reasons, including the likelihood of worsening existing parking issues in the town centre.

He said: "Based on my residents in Marlow, the likelihood of them using a bus to go and collect a pizza, there's more chance of Lord Lucan turning up. I find the predication of the report is rose tinted."

He said there are plenty of other empty units available close by such as a former curry house and the old Pachanga restaurant, opposite the site, which would be more suitable.

He believes deliveries will be a problem due to lack of parking behind the store and said it will not be practical.

Smells and odours emanating from the shop could also become a problem, he claimed.

He said: "In terms of the plant and machinery it's very laudable that it appears most will be internal but if you're going to have 100 pizzas per day (as Domino's claim) that might be fine.

"But in terms of normal throughput which you may see at somewhere like (Domino's in) Loudwater the reality is that plant machinery will be much more intrusive and the smells and the conditions will be much bigger than they proposed in the application.

"I can see in a few months there'll have to be an amendment where they say 'sorry guys we now need to put in a much bigger set of plant machinery' which is much more antagonistic to the amenity of the four flats above."

The flats were bought on the basis of being above a retail, not hot food, store, he said.

Despite his arguments, Cllr Collingwood, who rung the death knell on the most controversial development for many years during his time as leader - the stadium at Wycombe Air Park - was unsuccessful in persuading the planning committee.

The plan was approved.