Two children’s homes are set to be built in High Wycombe – however an exact location is yet to be decided after original proposals were thrown out due to “high cost”.

Last year Bucks County Council (BCC) gave the green-light for £2 million to be spent on four new residential homes in the county in a bid to improve the quality of services provided for children in care.

BCC hoped to build one home on the site of the car park in Hughenden Road, High Wycombe, however concerns were raised over the cost to develop the site which was “higher than first anticipated”.

Council chiefs also feared it would be difficult to get planning permission, meaning it would take at least 18 months to complete the development.

BCC has also binned proposals for a home in Buckingham and decided to build the remaining two homes in Wycombe instead – with two already planned for Aylesbury.

A report on BCC’s website stated: “We are working with the property services to identify two further sites to ensure that the provision we deliver will be sustainable and meet the needs of young people.

“Consideration is being given to leasehold properties too in order to ensure that all options can be reviewed before the final sites are confirmed.

“It is expected that both of the remaining sites will be in High Wycombe to establish group provision in the south of the county.

“This is because it has been identified that there are significant benefits to grouping homes to increase resilience.”

One of the two homes planned for Aylesbury is already completed – and is awaiting approval from Ofsted before its doors are officially opened.

Speaking at a meeting of the children’s social care and learning committee last week, councillor Brian Roberts hailed the “first class” facility, saying it is “very homely, very warm, very cosy”.

The children’s residential care homes project aims to increase the homes provided for children in Buckinghamshire and “reduce reliance on out-of-county provision”.
Cabinet member for children’s services, Warren Whyte, said: “It is really exciting that we are spending money for really good reasons.

“You know this is an area as seen in the performance reports before that out of county placements has been a challenge.

“It is not necessarily the cost of the placement itself, getting personal advisors out of the county is challenging and all the support as well – so this is a really good positive step forward to try to deal with those long term issues."

The new homes in High Wycombe are expected to open in 2019.
To view the council report visit https://democracy.buckscc.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=112161