Plans to build new homes on two different sites in Marlow by a community housing association have been met with heavy criticism over displaced parking.

Angry residents hit out at Red Kite Housing over plans to convert the car park in Foxes Piece, off Little Marlow Road, into six two-bedroom town houses with integrated parking.

The plans have now changed to two pairs of two-bedroom semi-detached houses and a pair of three-bedroom semi-detached houses (six houses in total) with associated car parking and a new 1.1 metre high metal fence and gate to the front of the development.

Red Kite has also suggested vehicles, which would normally park in the car park, instead park in Maple Rise and Little Marlow Road – which was met with further criticism, with residents branding it “absurd”.

Ashley Bristow wrote: “To suggest displaced vehicles can be parked in Maple Rise is ludicrous.

“This is a busy road as it serves the petrol station and generally has a number of cars parked down it already.

“For more cars to park here would only lead to further traffic problems and parking restrictions.”

Gunilla Ireson wrote: “While no parking restrictions are present [on Little Marlow Road], we believe it is obvious why no local residents park on this road.

“Parking would significantly affect the already congested flow of traffic through Marlow.

“Parking on Little Marlow Road cannot be considered as a serious option.”

Red Kite said it had commissioned an independent car parking survey at Foxes Piece, which showed that parking within the development site was only being used up to 43 per cent of the time, which means there is “sufficient parking capacity” in the immediate area.

Spokesman Julie Gamble-Kempe said: “We are keen to provide as much parking as we can at Foxes Piece and have considered this matter in preparing our scheme design.

"We may seek to submit a further planning application to create additional parking provision on the site in the future."

Marlow Town Council said it had no objection in principle to the new build but still had concerns over displaced parking capacity at different times of the day.

Residents in Berwick Road have also complained about plans to build four one-bedroom apartments on a garage site, with Joy Dickinson writing: “My concern regarding this development is the displacement of vehicles currently using this site and the inadequate parking provision for the proposed development.

“Marlow is in crisis with existing parking issues and this development, although small, will exacerbate the problem.”

Ian Benning wrote there would be a loss of privacy to existing residents, a “significant” loss of light to adjacent properties and there would be further traffic congestion in an “already overcrowded residential street”.

Ms Gamble-Kempe said: “We are disappointed to hear that some residents still feel unable to support these developments that are part of our strategic provision of much needed homes within the district.

“We do not consider the parking issues raised on these two particular sites as material given…the fact these developments will help subsidise and provide essential new affordable housing for local people, which is in line with local and national housing policy.”