Planning permission granted to transform former Bucks school into luxury hotel resort

Planning permission has been granted to turn the former Penn School into a new hotel and spa resort.

According to data from Lichfields, the development company behind the project, the new venue will create approximately 150 jobs.

This multi-million pound development will also offer apprenticeship opportunities and offer a new focal point to the countryside area.

Developers will restore and refurbish the historic Grade II listed buildings on the site, which has been empty and unused since the school’s closure in 2015.

Lichfields has named the new getaway, Rayner’s Penn, and will complete a conversion of the listed Rayners House along with extensions to transform the building into a 33-bedroom hotel, a fine dining restaurant, bistro, cookery school, wellness spa. Work will also be completed to renovate the site’s surrounding gardens.

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.”

Plans are in place to organise electric service vehicles and shuttle services for staff and guests, Lichfields says.

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."