Burwood Croydon Uniting Church’s plans for 25-storey tower

A western Sydney church wants to raise three buildings, including a 25-storey units and office tower, as part of plans to provide more affordable housing, childcare and community services.

An artist’s impression of the Burwood Croydon Uniting Church project.

A Burwood church wants to raise three buildings, including a 25-storey units and office tower, as part of plans to provide more affordable housing, childcare and community services.

The Uniting Church has lodged $108 million plans to redevelop the Burwood Croydon Uniting Church on Burwood Rd.

These include the 25-storey units and office tower, which would include a 120-place childcare centre, a medical centre, church office and shops. Student housing and shops would be provided in a second building of about eight storeys, while the preschool hall (two storeys) would be renovated.

Reverends Beverley and Stephen Matthews outside Burwood Croydon Uniting Church. Picture: John Appleyard

A “cafe ministry” and events would take place in the latter, in which the church would help train people in hospitality and provide work at the cafe.

The Rev Stephen Matthews said the hall was too small for church activities. These included English lessons, a 40-place preschool and food supplies for the needy.

Plenty of low-income families use the preschool, which charges $10 per day.

The Matthews with preschool ministry co-ordinator Debbie O'Keefe. Picture: John Appleyard

The church aims to provide preschool and childcare in the larger building, Mr Matthews said.

“We’re not developers after profit,” he said.

“Some of this project will be affordable housing, a preschool, supportive employment and student housing. It’s to make our community a better place, and the space around the church will be much more inviting.”

The Uniting Church would also move its Sydney office from Glebe.

The proposed units tower is 30m taller than height restrictions.

But Ben Tiplady from Johnstaff, who is managing the project for the church, said the height was justified.

The tower would be only two storeys taller than a neighbouring one, he said.

Overshadowing and privacy impacts had been minimised, as well as the height of other proposed buildings.

He could not give the number of units or parking spaces proposed as the application is a concept one.

The Sydney Eastern City Planning Panel will decide on the application. View the plans at Burwood Council and submit comments before December 17.