Exclusive Brethren church plan draws opposition from residents
A GROUP of residents in the outer east have voiced their opposition to the Exclusive Brethren building a church on their street.
Outer East
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LYSTERFIELD residents are angry after learning a controversial Christian church is planning to move into their quiet street.
The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, also known as the Exclusive Brethren, has started work on land at 2 Rathgar Rd, on the corner of Napoleon Rd, in preparation for a church hall.
The church also has a larger regional meeting room in Ferntree Gully and three meeting rooms in Boronia, one of which was sold recently.
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Denise and Roger Pratt live in Rathgar Rd, and Mrs Pratt said many people in the street did not want the church moving in.
“Unlike other churches, you can’t access it,” Mrs Pratt said.
“Why be so exclusive? Why plonk themselves in a residential area?”
She said she was concerned about the church’s “misogynistic” attitude and that it didn’t pay tax.
Plymouth Brethren spokesman Sam McKechnie said residents had nothing to worry about.
“Neighbours of other Brethren halls report that they rarely, if ever, notice us coming to, attending or leaving our services,” Mr McKechnie said.
“We have had many comments in the past that we make very good neighbours.”
He said the church was a charitable entity so was exempt from paying tax.
He rejected that Brethren men were misogynistic, and said “they respect all women in fellowship”.
“It is true that Brethren women dress conservatively but then so do the men,” he said.
Brethren women wear head scarves when attending church services because they had to cover their heads when praying, he said.
Mr McKechnie said the church was finalising plans for the hall and would lodge an application with the council “in due course”.
Mr McKechnie said immediate neighbours of the site were notified in writing in May of the church’s plans and church members had also spoken to residents.
About 200 Plymouth Brethren members live in Knox and the site was in a suitable location and size, he said.
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“When planning a new church hall, we strive to ensure the building and its amenities will have minimal impact on the surrounding area and community,” he said.
“There are numerous places of worship in residential areas throughout Australia.
“We have had four other halls in residential parts of the Knox area for the past 40 or so years and have maintained very good relations with our neighbours.”
Mr McKechnie said a trustee of the church owned 2 and 4 Rathgar Rd. He said number 4 would be a private residence and “we have no development plans for that site at this time”.
Knox Council city development director Angelo Kourambas confirmed the council had issued a building permit to demolish the building at 2 Rathgar Rd.
No other planning permits had been issued, Mr Kourambas said.
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