Uniting Church in Fairfield could make way for six-storey development, proposal reveals
An 80-year-old church would make way for a block of apartments, a shop and a community hall in south west Sydney, planning documents reveal.
Fairfield
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An 80-year-old church could be knocked down and replaced with a six-storey apartment block if a proposal is approved.
The Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust has filed a development application for its church at 25 Nelson St, Fairfield. They are proposing to spend $9.6 million on knocking down the property and replacing it with 28-units, a “neighbourhood” shop and a church hall.
“We have to move with the times,” a spokeswoman for the trust said. “The community needs … space for activities.
“The housing will pay for the redevelopment.”
The apartment block would feature 14 one bedroom units and 14 two-bedroom units. Seven of the apartments are designated affordable housing.
The Uniting Church Australia has two parishes in Fairfield. Although the Nelson St property will be redeveloped, the main parish on Harris St will continue as usual.
“They want to keep the (Nelson St property as) a satellite space,” the spokeswoman said.
The mixed-use development would split parking across two basement levels. The first level’s 25 spots would be reserved for churchgoers and customers of the yet-to-be-determined neighbourhood shop.
The second level would provide 27 car spaces for residents, including three accessible spaces.
The Nelson St church has operated steadily since the 1930s. It has no historical significance and parking limitations stifled its growth, the spokeswoman said.
The single-story church contrasts against a changing streetscape, one moving towards apartment blocks and taller buildings. It falls under high-density zoning, and several six-storey apartment blocks have popped up around it.
“The character of the area is changing to reflect the R4 high-density zoning,” an environmental report commissioned by the trust says.
“There are now examples of six-storey apartment buildings in the area, including one at 39-41 Nelson St.”
The proposal is currently seeking feedback from the public until February 13.