Garsington Opera to move to Wormsley Estate near Stokenchurch (From Bucks Free Press)

Garsington Opera to move to Wormsley Estate near Stokenchurch

8:37am Thursday 9th September 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(1)

AN internationally renowned opera company has found a new home in south Bucks after planners voted in their favour last night.

Garsington Opera will be allowed to move to new premises for summer festivals at the Wormsley Estate in Stokenchurch after members of Wycombe District Council's planning committee approved the plans.

It means the Oxfordshire-based group, established for more than 20 years, will use the estate for 24 public events in front of crowds of up to 600 people after a lease for the next 15 years was approved.

Fears among residents over noise and increased traffic in the area on nights there is a concert at the estate, which is in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, were dismissed by councillors.

Wormsley is already used for cricket matches attended by up to 2,000 people and members of the planning committee said the estate had had no problems coping with the amount of traffic.

Cllr Neil Marshall said: “The sound of aircraft flying overheard, which is acceptable, is more irritable than the faint strain of music coming through the trees.

“It's a site well capable of accommodating this sort of event.”

Cllr Marshall added the amount of traffic was “not threatening”.

Cllr Richard Pushman said he had no problem with noise issues, comparing possible sound levels to those at other events run in the district.

He said: “Car boot sales generate tremendous traffic issues on a Saturday, which nobody seems to mind about.

“West Wycombe Park, I can hear from Naphill; we don't seem to object to that.

“Then there's the roar from the football stadium every Saturday, which can be heard from three miles around. Why have we got ourselves in such a stew over this?

“This is something of great benefit to the district.”

Cllr Hugh McCarthy said: “I think this is a bonus for our district. We should be quite grateful the estate is putting this forward.”

One of the conditions of planning consent is that Holloway Lane is only to be used in emergencies and concert-goers are to be told not to use it to gain access to Wormsley.

Development cannot go ahead until a official travel plan is submitted and approved by the council.

The plans were approved by 11 votes to one.