Planning permission granted for Buckinghamshire luxury hotel project

UK-based planning and development consultancy Lichfields has been granted planning permission and listed building consent for the transformation of the former Penn School in the village of Penn in Buckinghamshire into ‘Rayners Penn’, a luxury boutique hotel and spa. The multi-million-pound development will create approximately 150 jobs, including apprenticeship opportunities, and support Buckinghamshire’s growing tourism sector. The group will restore and refurbish the historic Grade II listed buildings on the site, which have fallen into disrepair since the school’s closure in 2015. Plans include converting the listed Rayners House along with complementary extensions and new build to create a 33-bedroom hotel, a fine dining restaurant, bistro, cookery school, wellness spa and rejuvenating the estate’s pleasure gardens. Additionally, the scheme will embrace deep green credentials to future proof against climate change and increase biodiversity on site. Net zero carbon is also a “key aspiration”. The Rayners Penn transformation also includes significant investment in the estate’s infrastructure to ensure accessibility and operational efficiency and a dedicated service access to enhance logistics, with a focus on sustainable transport solutions such as electric service vehicles and shuttle services for staff and guests. Construction is expected to begin in 2025, with the project taking approximately two and a half years to complete. Sarah Moorhouse, associate director at Lichfields, said: “This project has been a great example of how heritage conservation and sustainable development can work hand in hand. Securing permission for a scheme within such a sensitive planning context required careful consideration and collaboration with Buckinghamshire Council and the local community. Rayners Penn will bring substantial benefits to the area while preserving the estate’s rich history.” Duncan Ball, CEO of Rayners Penn, added: “Our vision for Rayners Penn is to create a world-class retreat that reflects the estate’s historic grandeur while embedding sustainability in every aspect of its design. The project will provide lasting benefits to the wider community, and we are excited to see it move forward.”