Wyong: Coast Community Church’s relocation plans while Erina’s Impact Church covets more parking
Two Central Coast churches have lodged development applications calling on council’s divine intervention to change the use of two secular blocks into “places of worship”. Full details here.
Central Coast
Don't miss out on the headlines from Central Coast. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A Wyong church hopes to convert an old RTA admin office into its new earthly headquarters while an Erina church has splashed $1.3 million for more parking.
Central Coast Community Church — also known as C4 — has lodged a DA to convert the old former Roads and Traffic Authority administration office on the corner of Hely St and Anzac Ave, at Wyong, into its new, permanent home.
The church had operated out of temporary digs across the road before relocating to another temporary home in a business park off Lucca Rd, north of Wyong.
The site at 11-13 Hely St was owned by Transport for NSW but was more recently occupied by the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ). The premises is currently vacant.
C4 proposes an internal fit-out of the existing building to accommodate a larger main church room for up to 150 people and a secondary, smaller room for “post ceremonial and smaller congregation uses”.
“The proposed fit-out and use of the building will result in the creation of two large multipurpose areas, office spaces a kitchen and a kitchenette provided over the split-level building,” the DA states.
Under the plans C4, a Seventh-Day Adventist Church, wants to remove a large mature tree from the corner of Hely St and Anzac Ave, because the roots are damaging the building and uplifting the footpath.
The DA states the busiest time would be during Saturday morning services, outside the regular business hours of surrounding properties, and “bring people and faith into the commercial centre on weekends”.
The site already features a parking lot for 19 vehicles, which is a shortfall of 12 spaces under the site’s zoning controls.
However the traffic study states there is ample street parking along with the Hely St car park opposite Wyong Police Station to accommodate the parking deficit.
IMPACT CHURCH BUYS ADJACENT BLOCK
Erina’s Impact Church meanwhile has purchased an adjacent residential block off Terrigal Drive through its developer partner the Stevens Group for $1.3 million.
It has subsequently lodged a DA to change its use from residential to place of public worship.
The church states the house will be used for religious studies, education, social gatherings, exercise and other ancillary functions.
However it is the 5433sq m flat block’s potential as a car park which has the most appeal with Impact Church looking to construct 45 parking spaces.
In its DA the church states the dwelling was used as a landscape supply business for several years and any additional traffic generated would have a negligible impact on the adjacent Terrigal Drive.
More Coverage
Elderly man dies five days after car rollover
A man, 77, has died in hospital five days after the car he was travelling in hit an embankment and rolled on the Old Pacific Highway. Here’s what we know.
Read more
Jealous ice addict jailed for horrifying hammer attack
An ice addict was “motivated by jealousy” when she bludgeoned her friend with a hammer so hard that parts of her brain were spilt out on the floor, leaving the victim permanently in a wheelchair.
Read more