Vicar slams 'flawed proposals' as Wing church land could be used for more than 1,000 new homes
The vicar of a village church has criticised plans for more than 1,000 new homes on its land, describing the proposal as “flawed.”
Rev Dom Wright, the team rector at All Saints Church in Wing, said its congregation were “shocked” at the plans, and that he had attempted to appeal the decision to a body that supports the Church of England’s Ministry.
The plans are due to be considered by Buckinghamshire Council’s cabinet on November 10, as part of the approval process to submit the Buckinghamshire Local Plan to an independent planning inspector for approval.
If the development goes ahead the village could more than double in size, to a population of more than 7,000.
The land has been sold for the proposed development by the Diocese of Oxford, and any proceeds from the sale would go the Diocese rather than the church itself.
Rev Wright explained that until eight years ago he would have been in a position, as team rector, to block the sale of the land, but this power was removed by the introduction of the Church Property Measure 2018.
Writing in the Stewkley Grapevine Rev Wright said: “The congregation here have been as shocked as everyone else in the community about the plans to build Wing New Town on the glebe land.
“Along with the church warden, the Parochial Church Council, and my colleague, team vicar (Rev Will Lyon Tupman), I objected vigorously to the proposals, which we believe are based on a flawed and inaccurate council plan.
“It completely fails to take into account the historic nature of our church and village.
“The proposal is far beyond the scale of anything previously anticipated, and beyond the capacity of the existing village infrastructure.”
Rev Wright explained he attempted to appeal the decision to the Church Commissioners charity, a body which administers Church of England assets, only to be told this was not possible.
Rev Wright said the only powers he had left were those of persuasion, adding: “I still hope that the full plans for Wing New Town, as they stand, will not be realised.”
More than 2,000 people have signed an online petition by the Stop Wing New Town Action Group against the proposals.