UPDATED DECEMBER 2024

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Welcome to Project Arclight!
 
Arclight is our mission-driven transformation project enabled by the redevelopment of our church site. The proposal includes:

 

• A new community hall with multiple flexible spaces including a dedicated youth room

• A much-needed public play space and landscaped area for use by our local community

• A community café with links to church life

• Changes to the church interior to improve visibility, access and facilities

 

To enable this work, the proposal includes 28 new homes (9 townhouses and 19 apartments). It is hoped that the sale of these residential units will fund the majority of the new church & community facilities. The church is not actively seeking to make a profit from the scheme; indeed, members of the church family have already given around £500k and some further fundraising is likely to be required. Details on how to give to the project can be fund on our church giving page HERE. 

In terms of progress, we obtained Pre-Planning advice from Redbridge in early 2024 and held two community consultation drop-in sessions in July 2024. An application for full Planning Permission was submitted to Redbridge on 22nd November 2024 which was reviewed and subsequently published on the Redbridge Planning Portal on 23rd December 2024 (Reference 3250/24). The submitted material includes a Statement of Community Involvement which sets out how the community has been engaged along with responses to the various questions and concerns raised during the consultation sessions. Details on how to engage with the planning process including how to comment on the application can also be found on the planning portal.​​ 

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Please note that the statutory planning process is managed by Redbridge. They will ensure that all relevant parties are notified, including affected neighbours, and will coordinate public consultation activities.

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We hope and pray that the construction stage will start in spring 2026. The work is expected to take around two years to complete. However, the above timeline is dependent on a number of factors, not all of which are within the control of the project team, and so is subject to change. Temporary on-site facilities will be provided during the works enabling most church ministries & regular hirers to continue, including Trinity Hall Kindergarten and our Scout/Uniformed Groups.   

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Why Arclight? An arc-light is a type of lamp which produces an extremely bright light by enabling electricity to jump, or arc, between two closely spaced conductors. Project Arclight hopes to see our church connecting with people in ways which are not currently possible, burning brightly and lighting up our community. We continue to pray that our project will be a blessing to the local area, bringing the love of Jesus to those around us and providing practically for the community. ​

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​With my prayers and best wishes,
 
Abi Todd
Vicar of Holy Trinity South Woodford