WYCOMBE District Council has bought a High Wycombe church and hall which it plans to convert into 'community centre for creativity', it was announced today.

The council has snapped up St John's Church and Church Hall in Desborough Road, which was scheduled for redundancy by the Oxford Diocesan Redundant Churches Committee and Parochial Church Council as part of a reshuffle.

The church will be transformed into a Centre for Creativity, which will host community activities including exhibitions, fairs, music and drama performances and workshops.

But the council, who submitted its bid for the Grade II Listed building in November 2007, has vowed to retain many of the church's original features during the centre's revamp.

Management organisation Wycombe Community Arts Centre Ltd, also known as Arts4every1, will handle the day-to-day running of the new centre.

An opening date for the new community facility has yet to be announced but the centre's refurbishment will begin “in the next few weeks”.

Chairman of Arts4every1 Mike Watson said: “The new centre will take a number of years to become established and will require fund raising from sources other than the council.

“However the council’s decision to acquire the building and provide our organisation with the opportunity to create the new centre will really help develop and nurture the creative and community aspirations of people and groups right across the district”.

“If you have any ideas on how your community group or organisation would like to use the new centre please visit www.Arts4every1.com”