‘Regionally significant’ bid to build $6.6 million church at Chinderah in the Tweed

A new Christian church for up to 750 worshippers has been proposed in a $6.6 million project for a small Tweed town near Kingscliff. Take a sneak peek at what’s planned.

A new Christian church for up to 750 worshippers has been proposed in a $6.6 million project for the small Tweed Coastal town of Chinderah, right next to Kingscliff. Â

A new Christian church for up to 750 worshippers has been proposed in a $6.6 million project for the small Tweed town of Chinderah, right next to Kingscliff.

The proposed church on Phillip St would be constructed in stages over about five to 10 years.

The current attendance of ‘Gardn Church’ is around 260-300 parishioners, with pastors Jonathan (Jono) and Amy Kerridge eventually hoping to have 750 worshippers in the new auditorium.

A sneak peak at a new Christian church proposed for Chinderah, right next to Kingscliff. Photo: Aspect Architecture.

The development includes the building of a cafe, administration offices, youth spaces, community rooms, outdoor landscaped spaces, storage and a carpark with 196 spaces.

“The design is for a modern church structure, which offers landscape embellishment, articulation and a quality design and finish that provides an open feel to the site visitors,” a town planner from Zone Planning group stated.

The new church would provide support services, youth groups, wedding ceremonies and baptisms and a cafe on-site.

The $6.6 million church would have capacity for up to 750 worshippers. Photo: Aspect Architecture.

The community facilities could see bible study and prayer groups, youth groups, and “mums and bubs groups” that would include women’s daytime support and a social night-time group.

“The Church’s services are lively and include vibrant worship, a life-giving message and connecting with each other,” the Zone Planning Group town planner stated.

This is the first proposed development for the 30,500sq m vacant and “long unused parcel of land” in more than 20 years.

Gardn Church – formerly Tweed Coast Church – acquired the Chinderah site in 2020.

The church has operated in Kingscliff for over 10 years, using hired spaces within various locations such as the Kingscliff Bowls Club and more recently operating from the Seventh Day Adventist Church also on Phillip St.

The church would have parking capacity of 196 spaces. Photo: Aspect Architecture.

The proposed hours of operation will be generally 7am to 10pm, seven-days-a-week, with peak operations mainly on Sundays.

Chinderah has an average age of 60 years with Fingal Head/Kingscliff population data finding more than half the population being Christian.

An ecological report found “no significant impacts to the site’s ecological values” with the development mostly, with existing bushland expected to be maintained.

However, he subject site is mapped as being flood prone, and is located within 40m of a waterway – a drainage channel – and a controlled activity approval is required for the project to get the green light.

The development is Regionally Significant Development, and the consent authority is the Northern Regional Planning Panel.