Bethel Mar Thoma plans $11m church for Horsley Park
An $11 million church is planned for a growing western Sydney suburb and would feature a recreation area and on-site carpark.
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Weddings, baptisms and funerals could take place at an $11 million church in Horsley Park if an application for its development is granted approval.
The Bethel Mar Thoma Church, a Syrian group founded by St Thomas, has plans to build a new church, recreation space, offices and carpark before the Sydney Western City Planning Panel.
A 400-seat church would be located at 1650 The Horsley Drive, and would regularly hold mass in English and Malayalam from 9am to 12 noon on Sundays.
But the development, estimated to have a construction cost of $11m, would also host bible studies for youths and women, language classes and committee meetings weekly.
The Christian denomination has grown from 30 members to 200 families over 20 years practising in Australia. The existing parish would relocate from St Paul’s Anglican Church at Harris Park, where it currently practices.
The application details a versatile building. In addition to the 400sq m church is a 700sq m recreation facility, which would have 9-metre ceilings, a porch, foyer, storage room, toilets and kitchen.
A driveway from The Horsley Drive would lead churchgoers to an 83-space carpark.
The current house on the property would be retained, but two metal outbuildings on the site would be demolished.
A previous version of the application gained approval in December 2017, but small changes — including the relocating of the carpark and a staged development — has led to the application going before the Sydney Western City Planning Panel a second time.
Representatives from the Bethel Mar Thoma Church did not reply to requests for comment.