Land where a council-owned emergency hostel currently stands could eventually house a nursing home or sheltered accommodation if plans to relocate it to High Wycombe town centre are given the go-ahead. 

The “isolated” Saunderton Lodge, which provides temporary accommodation for those in need and is owned and managed by Wycombe District Council, could be replaced with a new, bigger unit in Desborough Road – but the proposals will be subject to a planning application.

The proposed 57-bed modular building would provide better living conditions for those in need, according to the council. 

When questioned at Monday’s full council meeting about what could become of the land where Saunderton Lodge is currently sited, Wycombe District Council leader Katrina Wood, said any money generated from the land will be used to cross-finance the new build. 

Cllr Rafiq Raja asked her for reassurance that the land would not be “sold off to increase the surplus on the council’s balance sheet”. 

Cllr Wood said: “It is an isolated property in need of substantial investment. If it is declared surplus – and that is an if – the council will be required to meet its statutory obligation upon disposals, which is to achieve the best price reasonably obtainable.

“This may well come from users such as a nursing home, sheltered housing or the like, or from an institutional user which has quasi-social purposes but I can’t at this stage guarantee this will be the case.

“A priority for it will be to find a future custodian so that once it is vacant, the property doesn’t become vandalised. Any proceeds from disposal will be used to cross-finance the cost of the proposed new temporary accommodation if that is the route we go down.” 

In response to the comments, Cllr Raja said: “I hope the land will not be sold off – I know what you said leader, but there is always a danger that we are more interested in making surpluses than to use the facilities and land we have for the benefit of our residents.”

Scolding him for not listening to her first response, Cllr Wood insisted any proceeds “wouldn’t go towards increasing the surpluses on our balance sheets.”

Meanwhile, Cllr Lesley Clarke, highlighted her concerns about the proposals for the new temporary accommodation in Desborough Road, claiming anti-social behaviour could cause problems for residents. 

She said: “I'm very worried about the siting of the new modular build in Desborough Road car park. We do have a lot of anti-social behaviour in that area and I think it is totally unfair to put these vulnerable people into such a location. 

“This is a worry for me. Although we fully support the re-siting, we believe this is perhaps not the right place.” 

Cllr Wood assured Cllr Clarke that housing chief Julia Langley would meet with her to discuss her concerns in the New Year.