Vicar at struggle with council after attempting to show church buildings into houses

A vicar’s battle to turn two historic but disused Buckinghamshire village churches into modern dwellings has hit a roadblock after the council refused him planning permission.

Reverend Adam Wells has lodged proposals to change the use of the methodist churches in Winchmore Hill and Lee Common.

The reverend pointed out the churches were no longer ‘viable’ due to dwindling and ageing populations in the tiny villages and that the proposal to create a modern dwelling could ‘breathe new life into the area’.

But Buckinghamshire County Council refused planning permission, arguing it ‘would result in the loss of a community asset’ in each case.

When approached for comment, Rvd Wells – the superintendent minister for the Amersham Methodist Circuit – told Mail Online he was ‘disappointed’ by the council’s decision and said the Methodist Church would be seeking clarification from it.

The decision to close the methodist church in the picteuresque village of Winchmore Hill – with a population of just 663 people – was taken in September 2021, planning documents show.

In an evidence submitted to the council, Rvd Wells wrote that the church by then had only six members, of whom only three lived in the village, aged in their 70s, 80s, and 90s, who he said ‘do not feel able to keep up the work of the church in the years to come’.

‘An article on the history and possible future of the chapel in the local village paper yielded no response; this felt like the final straw’, Rvd Wells wrote.

Following a meeting of the Church Council in October 2021, it was agreed that the church – a typical small brick-built Wesleyan chapel – would be sold separately to its graveyard, which would be leased for a peppercorn rent to the local Parish Council, which is prepared to continue to maintain and use it, the evidence shows.

The Rvd wrote: ‘It is through dwindling numbers and the age of the parishioners being what they are, mainly in their 80s that the church sadly has to close.

‘As evidenced, we have not been able to find a purchaser for the building for community use that would be able to maintain it and provide the necessary income for the Circuit to do so.

‘We have, therefore, no alternative but to seek permission to change the residential use, which we believe is the most financially viable. We appreciate that this means losing the church, which is simply unviable.’

The design for the proposed conversion has yet to be finalised, planning documents show, but it is envisaged to retain the building’s character and amenity space.

A planning statement lodged by Rvd Wells said: ‘The proposed development is not just a building conversion but a transformation of a historical site into a modern dwelling. This transformation can breathe new life into the area, providing much needed housing and preserving a significant part of the community’s history.’

But on Thursday August 22, Bucks County Council’s Service Director of Planning and Environment, Eric Owens, refused an application for permission in principle for the change of use of a former church to a residential dwelling.

‘It is considered that the proposal would result in the loss of a community asset’, Mr Owens wrote. ‘The Council is not satisfied on the basis of the submitted information that a community facility is no longer required. This based on insufficient evidence detailing that the site has been offered or marketing to other community groups such as nurseries, creches, day centres, etc.

‘As such the loss of a community asset has not been justified and the proposal is therefore considered unacceptable’, Mr Owens concluded, adding that Rvd Wells had failed to submit any ecological surveys detailing the impact the development would have on any protected species.

Villagers in Winchmore Hill told the Mail Online that the church was currently derelict and that something had to be done with the site.

One woman from the village, who did not wish to be named, said: ‘We are interested to know what is going to happen with it as it is not used as a church anymore.

‘It is a methodist church so it is quite basic, it has still got a graveyard’, the woman added. ‘Something has got to happen to the building as it is getting to be derelict.’

Another local businesswoman said: ‘I would not say it is very nice, it is just an empty building. I can say it is run down, empty, bare.’

The church in the Lee – population 690 – had become disused in 2021, by which time the congregation on a Sunday afternoon was down to four or five, none of whom lived in the vicinity.

A playgroup, which had run since 1988, had to be abandoned because the leader was over 80 years old, and other volunteers could not be found. The last new entry in the church visitors’ book was 2004, Rvd Wells wrote.

The Rvd applied to change the use of the 132 sqm Wesleyan Chapel – built in 1839 – but faced opposition from The Lee parish council, which said the case against community use had not been demonstrated in his application.

Cllr Colin Sully, Chair of the parish council, told Mail Online: ‘TLPC was not necessarily against the idea of conversion to residential use, but this application had not answered the questions that needed answering and we had therefore objected.’

Bucks County Council refused Rvd Well’s application for the same reasons given to the Winchmore Hill application.

A case officer from Bucks County Council also wrote: ‘The proposal would provide one new dwelling which would go towards meeting the Council’s need for new housing and moderate weight is given to this benefit.

‘The weight is only moderate given that one dwelling unit is proposed, which would make a limited contribution to the Council’s housing supply.’

When approached for comment about both planning applications, Peter Strachan, Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration at Bucks County Council, told Mail Online: ‘From the evidence submitted in the planning applications, it is clear that these churches are no longer operating and are no longer required to serve the needs of worshippers.

‘However, it must also be demonstrated that these buildings are no longer required as community facilities, such as crèches, day nurseries, day centres, museums, libraries, village halls etc.

‘As per our planning policies, these sites need to be advertised to such groups to prevent the unnecessary loss of valued community facilities. Unfortunately, no such marketing has been submitted in support of these applications and there is no evidence to demonstrate that the sites are not required for any other community group or purpose.’

Rvd Wells said: ‘Both Winchmore Hill and Lee Common Methodist churches have been closed since 2021. The decision to cease worship was made by the members themselves as they were finding the running of the buildings increasingly challenging due to the congregation’s age and dwindling size. The members have found new spiritual homes at alternative churches nearby but we are still trying to find a way to dispose of the buildings.

‘We are disappointed by the council’s decision to refuse the planning applications and we will be seeking clarification regarding how we should market the chapels in order to comply with their requests. Any money raised from the sale of the buildings will be used for missional work in the communities we serve.’