Petition to save Wycombe council offices reaches 2000 signatures as next steps considered
Buckinghamshire Council will review calls to keep historic building for community use.
A petition urging Buckinghamshire Council to protect Wycombe’s historic council offices as a community asset has closed with nearly 2000 signatures.
Campaigners want the 1930s building on Queen Victoria Road to remain available for public use, opposing its potential sale to private developers. The petition follows the council’s recent move to market the site after declaring it surplus to requirements.
The petition, which is now closed, called for the distinctive Queen Victoria Road building to be preserved for the people of High Wycombe. Supporters said the landmark, opposite the police station, is a recognisable feature of the area and should remain in public hands.
The campaign accepted that the 1980s office buildings behind the site could be sold to help fund the new council offices on Denmark Street. Construction of the new workspace, located near Tesco in Eden, comes after a July 2024 decision to relocate staff.
Petitioners wrote: “This beautiful and distinctive building is immediately recognised by residents and visitors alike and it must remain a heritage community asset for the people of High Wycombe.”
With the petition now closed, Buckinghamshire Council will follow its formal process for handling such requests. The council is expected to acknowledge the petition within three working days, and tell organisers within 20 working days how the matter will be considered. This could involve the Cabinet, an individual cabinet member, a committee or a senior officer, though specific details have not yet been confirmed.
Buckinghamshire Council’s cabinet previously decided to market the Queen Victoria Road site, describing it as surplus after the recent office move. The council has said that selling the site would generate revenue and support the wider regeneration of Wycombe’s Eastern Quarter.
Councillor Robert Carington, cabinet member for resources, said: “This site offers a unique opportunity to deliver high-quality homes, business space and public realm in a prime location. It’s part of our commitment to regenerating the town, attracting investment and creating places where people want to live, work and visit.”
He added: “It also offers our residents the best value for money – it is better to repurpose and rejuvenate an underused site in such an important location than to keep it as an under-used building.”
Buckinghamshire Council has not yet announced how the petition will be handled. Organisers and supporters now await information on when and how their concerns about the building’s future will be formally considered.