Plans to build a £2 million boathouse in a Marlow park are still up in the air - more than a year after they were submitted.

The boathouse, in Gossmore Park, would provide somewhere for rowers at Sir William Borlase’s and Great Marlow School to store their equipment.

The plans were submitted to Wycombe District Council (WDC) by the Marlow and District Schools Boathouse Trust in August 2017, with a decision expected to be made by November 8, 2017.

But the proposals received dozens of objections, with residents concerned about traffic and parking issues the development could cause.

The application is still with WDC for determination 18 months on, with Kevin Ford, head teacher at Great Marlow School, saying the location is still preferred by the schools for the boathouse.

He said: “Firstly it’s the accessibility for the students and it is also important to us to try and secure a permanent home and boathouse for the schools.

“One where we can store, maintain and ensure that our boats are in an enclosed environment to reduce the wear and tear because the equipment is currently out in the open air with significant wear and tear on it.”

The schools currently use the field at Longridge.

Mr Ford added: “We are aware that with the ongoing Environment Agency works [flood alleviation scheme] there and the objections to the plans, we are going to have to review the existing plans that are in to take into account the works and objections.

“That is something that we are still working on. The site has a huge number of potential benefits for the schools and that’s why we are looking at it.”

In the original design and access statement, the trust said over the past 14 years, several sites had been considered but for various reasons including negotiations with landowners, residents and local or highway authorities meant none had “progressed satisfactorily”.

They added that it has been costing more than £20,000 a year in excess maintenance, while athletes do not have their own toilet and changing facilities at the current site.

The trust wrote: “The location has to be within walking distance of both schools and have unhindered access to the river with a riverbank area suitable for landing stages for boating and unrestricted vehicle access for boat trailers and some parking.

“The current set up at Longridge is very makeshift and is not acceptable for the welfare of the children or the equipment in the long term.

“This is very much a true community project bringing together the towns two secondary schools to share in an exciting and successful sports activity for which Marlow is renowned.”

There was also plenty of support for the plans, with one resident saying the boathouse would “carry on the heritage of the town”.