Earlier this month, Forest Churches Emergency Night Shelter (FCENS) withdrew its proposal to transform North Chingford Methodist Church into a new base with 14 bedrooms and a drop-in advice hub for the homeless, reports Marco Marcelline
A bid to turn an empty North Chingford church into a homeless shelter was scrapped following local anxiety over potential antisocial behaviour.
Earlier this month, Forest Churches Emergency Night Shelter (FCENS) announced it had withdrawn its proposal to transform North Chingford Methodist Church into a new base with 14 bedrooms and a drop-in advice hub for the homeless.
FCENS has been providing winter shelter and food for homeless people in Waltham Forest for over 15 years, and is currently operating next to the YMCA in Forest Road, Walthamstow.
Speaking to the Echo, FCENS director David Hoskins said the charity’s board of trustees had long sought to develop a base with year-round accommodation for people experiencing homelessness.
FCENS became aware of an opportunity to move into North Chingford Methodist Church last year, and in September 2024 it commissioned a design brief from the architectural firm Whittaker Parsons, which set out its vision for the space.
The plan centered around 14 bedrooms for single adults “with low support needs” at the back of the church, while a drop-in advice hub would have been built in the front. The proposal also included a multi-purpose room for workshops, skills training and community activities.
Forest Methodist Circuit which owns the shuttered church building, was understood to have been supportive of the bid and a public consultation meeting in February was attended by around 300 local residents.
One of those attendees was the Conservative councillor for Chingford Green ward, Mitchell Goldie, who expressed his “significant concerns” about the plan.
He told the Echo: “I can understand that there is a need and desire for a [homeless] shelter in Waltham Forest but North Chingford is not the right location for one. What you would have are people with drug and alcohol problems presenting to the shelter and being turned away because they don’t fit the criteria for a bed, before being signposted to services that do not exist in the local vicinity.
“Mental health, addiction and homelessness support provision does not exist in Chingford and there are currently no plans to provide them. The incredible work of FCENS is best done near its current [Walthamstow] location where users who are refused access can easily find additional services that can assist them.”
The Echo understands that fears around a potential for a increase in open drug use and antisocial behaviour in the area were expressed by residents, while others demanded that the Methodist Circuit consider returning the church to community use.
FCENS however stated that the risk of antisocial behaviour would be minimal, insisting that their services are not for individuals dealing with alcoholism or drug addiction.
Following the consultation meeting, Forest Methodist Circuit announced it would consider different proposals for the site before making a final decision in late September, later extended to December due to the volume of feedback.
A three-month consultation period, which ran from June until 31st August, included an open day at the church on 7th June where hundreds of people shared their views on the future of the site.
The church noted strong support for it becoming a community centre or used by local businesses. Castle Cinema in Hackney also expressed interest in turning the venue into a filmhouse.
Speaking after FCENS withdrew their bid, Chingford resident Carol Woodward said local opposition was “disappointing”. She told the Echo: “We don’t have facilities for homeless people and we need it. North Chingford is just a train or bus ride away from other support services. Any right-minded, kind and considerate person would have looked at this plan and supported it.
“My family went to this church. Outrage [against FCENS’ bid] smacks of, ‘We don’t want poor, homeless people in the area’. They’re thinking about the aesthetics of Chingford before people’s real needs.”
Waltham Forest Conservatives however believe that the church should be returned to use by and for the local community. Supporting a plan by E4 Social which would see dance classes, community events, skills training, and pre-school education at the church, the Tories said: “At a time when North Chingford has a shortage of community space for hire, the opportunity to reopen this site for public use is more important than ever. Restoring this space would meet a genuine need for affordable, flexible venues that serve residents of all ages and backgrounds.”
Forest Methodist Circuit is currently reviewing all submitted expressions of interest in the site, which shut in 2023, until December. FCENS has since renewed its search for a long-term home, while it continues to provide shelter and homelessness advice at YMCA Walthamstow.
Find out more about FCENS here
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