Wetherspoons has been refused permission to make changes to its latest new pub in Marlow, which is just weeks away from opening.

Pub chain J D Wetherspoon is set to open new boozer ‘the Grand Assembly’ in the former M&Co clothing store at 3 Market Square in September of this year.

Buckinghamshire Council approved plans for the new watering hole back in 2022, but last month Wetherspoons made an additional application to make what it called ‘non-material’ changes to the pub.

But this week, planning officers said they were refusing to grant permission for the additional changes, because the proposals were in fact ‘material’ and would affect adjacent listed buildings.

Wetherspoons wanted to change the design and orientation of the pergola in the beer garden and change the design of the boundary wall in the beer garden and fire escape doors.

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The company also wanted to reduce the number of rooflights from two to one at the new pub and move the boiler room from part of the first-floor toilet block extension.

Some of the most notable changes proposed were to the cladding and the design of the front of the pub, including the signage, while changes were also proposed to the design of the rear doors and windows.

On the application form for the changes, Wetherspoons’ agent simply said that the proposals were the ‘design preferences of the client’.

As planning officers dismissed the application this week, they noted the number of nearby listed buildings near the new pub, including the Crown Hotel, the property at 4 and 6 West Street and the obelisk in the market square.

Planning officers wrote: “The application site is an unlisted property, situated within the Marlow Conservation Area and lies immediately adjacent to a Grade II listed building on its right and a Grade II listed building in its left.

“As such, the proposed alterations would materially affect the character and appearance of the surrounding Conservation Area and the setting of adjacent listed properties.”

Officers focused specifically on some of the proposed alterations, including the installation of a new and higher acoustic wall, a new flat roof light, plank cladding in place of brickwork and the provision of an escape staircase, all at the rear of the pub.

They wrote: “Each of the above features would appear materially different to those features on the approved plans.”

In its original plans for the new pub, Wetherspoons said its new pub would create approximately 50 to 60 full and part time jobs and would attract a ‘higher footfall’ than the existing business, which had occupied the building on a short-term rolling lease.

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