Flats plan for 1837-built Chipperfield Baptist Church

Built in 1837 and extended in 1957 and 1962, Chipperfield Baptist Church is currently vacant and was the subject of a planning application added to the Dacorum District Council planning portal this week.

The building, in The Street, was placed on the market with a £850,000 guide price in February, 2023, the same month the final service was held.

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When it closed, former members of the congregation described fond memories of the “lovely” church. It had apparently closed due to there being “simply not enough of us to continue running the church” and other ways forward being “ruled out”, according to a notice published in Chipperfield News at the time.

Floorplans show that there would be four largely identical flats with two on the ground floor and two on the first floor. Each would have a combined kitchen/dining/living room and two bedrooms.

Chipperfield Baptist Church. (Image: VDBM/Rightmove) An extension at the back would be demolished under the proposal, so that a staircase for rear access could be added. Overall, the developer says it has worked to try and preserve the external appearance of the original church as far as possible.

The planning application is currently with a council planning case officer.