Council Rejects Plan for New Church in Green Wedge

A growing religious congregation in Melbourne's south-east will need to continue searching for a new spiritual home, after an application to build a new church was rejected by the local council.

The Bethel New Life Christian Fellowship had applied to build the two-storey church in a green wedge in Cranbourne South.

Rejected Application

The church group wanted to build its new place of worship along Cranbourne-Frankston Road. The proposed development would have included a two-storey church for up to 400 patrons and 120 car parking spaces, built opposite a bustling residential development.

Councillors rejected the application at a City of Casey council meeting on Tuesday night, despite council officers recommending the project proceed.

“Green wedges have a clear purpose,” councillor Dave Perry told the meeting. “They’re meant to provide a physical buffer to urban sprawl.”

Community Concerns

The application sparked controversy among the local community, with many raising concerns about its potential impact on biodiversity and traffic. Over 230 objections were lodged against the proposal.

Cr Perry said the size of the building was central to the decision to reject the application. “We’re talking about a 3,515 square metre building that’s up to nine metres high,” he said.

Next Steps

The church group said it had outgrown its space in an industrial part of Dandenong, which serviced hundreds of people in Tamil and English. “For a growing community, it’s not possible to stay where we are,” pastor John De Britto said. “90 per cent of the church community live in Casey, so the council is not listening to those members of the community.”

The Bethel New Life Christian Fellowship bought the $1.8 million site on Cranbourne-Frankston Road in the hopes that they would be able to continue servicing the congregation in a new home.

When a council refuses to grant a planning permit, the application can be appealed to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). Mr De Britto said the church’s congregation would meet on Sunday to decide what to do next.