A decision on whether a US TV company can use SWINLEY FOREST for filming has been delayed.

The TV studio’s plan for filming at Swinley Forest in Ascot was meant to be decided at Bracknell Forest Council’s planning committee meeting on Thursday, May 20.

However, the decision on the plan was deferred because additional information was submitted by the TV studio’s planning agent.

Councillor Colin Dudley, chairman of the committee (Conservative) said: “It was deferred because the applicant raised additional issues.

“Additional information was submitted by the applicants agent at 4.50pm that day. I wanted the officers and committee members to take this new information into consideration, and we would not have had time to do that, so the decision was taken to defer it.”

READ MORE: Recognise these film scenes? All of the movies shot in Bracknell

The delay might be good news for the TV company, as permission to film at Swinley Forest was on track to be rejected.

Planning officer Trevor Yerworth recommended that the plan be refused because of the impact on Green Belt land, the closing off of parts of the forest for filming, and highways objections.

The plan involves making a temporary base in the forest, consisting of 15 temporary shacks and border fencing. All of these structures would be removed once filming is completed. The TV company intends to use the site for 12 months.

The site would be accessed from Buttersteep Rise in Winkfield Row, with offroad tracks getting construction workers, filming staff and the cast to the site. It is unclear which company has applied to film in the forest.

The plan has so far received 71 objections and 42 supporting comments.

Cllr Dudley said the planning officers may change the recommendation based on the new information that has been submitted.

He said: “The officers have to look at the information, and there recommendation may change because of it. The information had not been considered by officers yet, and I don’t believe members can decide when they have not got all the information in front of them.”

READ MORE: Why work has started at Swinley Forest film-set site

The meeting was conducted virtually. Although council meetings must take place in person in council chambers, the planning committee was able to get around this by conducting an ‘advisory meeting’. All the decisions that were made at the meeting were delegated to planning officers for approval.

If there was a chance that the committee would oppose officers recommendations, that decision would have to be taken in person in the council chamber.