Oakridge Baptist Church development FAQs
This proposal is the culmination of many years of planning and careful consideration about how the Church can use its site to meet genuine needs within the community.
Rather than a hostel, HMO or emergency accommodation, alongside a modern church and community facility, the homes are proposed as move-on housing for people who are ready for greater independence, including those moving on from temporary accommodation arranged by Buckinghamshire Council.
Our vision is rooted in the Church’s values of generosity, compassion and integrity. The purpose of the development is to create lasting community benefit, helping people rebuild their lives, live independently and thrive.
1. Parking
Why does the proposed development have no on-site parking?
There is currently no formal parking provision on the church site and its limited footprint means dedicated parking cannot realistically be incorporated into the development.
Existing issues mean that church attendees and visitors have become used to very limited availability of on-street parking, and as a result have developed a parking strategy to mitigate this by walking, using public transport, car sharing, cycling or using pay & display car parks locally. This is much less impactful on the local environment, a healthier option for many, is a practical solution for others to follow, and will always be encouraged in future.
The residential element is also being designed to be car-free, with the intention that this will be secured through the planning process.
Won’t 22 new residents mean 22 additional cars?
No. These are 22 single-occupancy move-on homes, rather than conventional homes being offered on the open market, and car ownership amongst residents is expected to be very low.
The intention is for legal arrangements to be agreed with Buckinghamshire Council to safeguard the car-free nature of the residential accommodation.
What about visitors, support workers and deliveries?
These movements will need to be carefully managed. Information about local parking and public transport is already provided to church visitors, and a travel plan and service/delivery management plan are proposed to cover matters such as deliveries and bin collections.
Residents say parking restrictions on tenants won't be enforceable. How can you guarantee they will work?
This is an understandable concern and one that will need to be addressed through the planning process. The intention is for appropriate legal arrangements to be agreed with Buckinghamshire Council to safeguard the car-free nature of the residential accommodation.
2. The accommodation and J49
Is this just an HMO or hostel in disguise?
No. The proposal is for 22 self-contained studio flats for single occupancy. It is not proposed as a hostel, HMO or emergency accommodation.
This is move-on accommodation, providing people at risk of homelessness with their own home and low-level support to help them move towards longer-term housing.
Who will live in the flats?
Residents will not be coming directly from the street. It is intended as move-on accommodation for people who are ready for a greater level of independence, including people moving on from temporary accommodation arranged by Buckinghamshire Council.
The proposed allocation model identifies people who are not currently homeless, but are at risk of becoming homeless, as the primary target group. People facing homelessness in the short term may also be considered following assessment. This scheme excludes people requiring specialist or urgent crisis accommodation, including those with complex support needs such as immediate prison release, acute domestic abuse, complex mental health and/or active addiction issues.
Is there a garden?
Yes. The development includes a garden for residents and the church community, with community gardening encouraged with support from local charities. Features from the existing church, such as the foundation stones, are also proposed to be incorporated into the design.
Who decides who can live there?
J49 would work with Buckinghamshire Council through a referral and assessment process. As the proposed housing provider, J49 would retain final approval over admissions, using a triage process to ensure allocations are appropriate.
What is different about J49's approach?
The involvement does not end when the building is completed. J49 is proposed as the Registered Provider responsible for managing the housing, tenancies and rents, working with Buckinghamshire Council's housing teams.
Wycombe Homeless Connection is proposed to provide local support, including a dedicated support worker, while the Church would focus on community activities, outreach and connecting residents with wider support.
The aim is to create a supportive community rather than an anonymous housing development, with the homes remaining permanently affordable.
What does affordable housing mean?
Affordable housing is housing provided at below open-market rents for people whose housing needs are not met by the private rental market.
Could the flats eventually be sold on the open market?
No. The homes are intended to remain affordable housing permanently. Legal arrangements will control how they can be occupied and safeguard their long-term use as affordable homes.
Will residents simply be asked to leave after two years?
The purpose of move-on accommodation is to provide a period of secure accommodation alongside support to help residents move towards independent, longer-term housing. The proposed model provides accommodation for up to two years.
How will the accommodation be managed to protect residents and the wider community?
Creating a safe and supportive environment for residents, while being a responsible neighbour, is fundamental to the proposals.
Appropriate management arrangements will be put in place to support residents, oversee the accommodation and respond to any issues. The Church and its partners are committed to ensuring the development is well managed and contributes positively to the neighbourhood.
3. Scale and overdevelopment
Is the proposed building too large for the area?
We recognise this is an important concern for some residents. The scale of the building has been discussed with Buckinghamshire Council through two pre-application meetings.
The planning case is that its scale, mass and form are appropriate in the context of the surrounding area, which includes the larger Soundsorba industrial building on Jubilee Road.
Why is a building of this scale necessary?
The proposal is seeking to achieve two things on a constrained site: provide a modern church and community facility and create 22 affordable move-on homes.
The existing church building is no longer fit for purpose. The proposals would replace it with a new building with strong environmental credentials, set back from the existing boundary with neighbouring properties on Oakridge Road.
Isn't Oakridge already overdeveloped?
We recognise concerns about the cumulative pressure of development in the area. However, this proposal is different from HMOs, bedsits or conventional market housing.
It combines a church and community facility with self-contained affordable move-on accommodation, with an allocation and management model involving Buckinghamshire Council and J49.
4. The church and existing building
Will the redevelopment mean losing a Victorian or historic church building?
No. The existing church is not a Victorian building. The proposal would replace the current building, which is no longer fit for purpose, with a modern church and community facility designed to serve the local community for at least another 120 years.
Is Oakridge Baptist Church closing?
No. If planning permission is granted, the church will operate from an alternative venue during construction so that its activities can continue.
Once construction is complete, the church will return to the site and operate from the new church and community facilities.
We hope these FAQs help to explain the proposals and the thinking behind them, and that you will feel able to support our plans to create lasting benefits for both individuals and the wider community.
If you have any questions that are not covered above, please don’t hesitate to contact Alison Irwin at secretary@oakridgebaptist.church
View the application PL/26/06159/FA and comment here https://tinyurl.com/yj8cazrd