Underground car parks would solve the congestion problems in Marlow town centre, according to councillors as they called for a redesign to a 68-home housing estate.

With space at a premium on Marlow’s increasingly crowded streets, the solution would allow greater space for houses and avoid the cramped layout of Crest Nicholson’s failed Portland Gardens plan, they said.

With the number of tandem parking spaces outside houses coming under fire during the planning process, WDC’s cabinet member for planning Cllr Neil Marshall said undercroft parking would also ease the burden on surrounding streets.

During Wednesday's planning meeting, he said: "There is not the space in neighbouring streets to take the displaced parking.

"I do not think it will work. It needs a radical redesign and they should look at providing undercroft parking.

"If you’re trying to retain trees you have to go to for a mews design in continuous lines and go for underground parking."

Lack of amenity space for residents was one of several reasons for the refusal, and Cllr Marshall said underground parking would allow homes a less dense footprint.

Undercroft lots have been used already on a neighbouring development in Malthouse Way, with terraced rows of houses that do not require parking outside the front door.

Cllr Brian Pollock said "precious" amenity space for residents should be protected.

Cllr Alan Turner, who said he has waited over 40 years to see a development at Portland Gardens, praised the design of the houses, calling it an "excellent job".

But in calling for a change of layout, he warned that the affordable housing earmarked for the estate should remain on site and not be shifted to a different part of town.

He said: "It’s important that we remember that this should not end up as millionaires’ row for people who can afford to pay one or two million on a property.

"That is not what Marlow is about."