Exclusive Brethren has plans approved for its third Highton church, angering local residents

A church that a former Australian prime minister labelled “an extremist cult and sect” has had its plans for a third church in a leafy Geelong suburb approved by City Hall.

The Exclusive Brethren plans to transform a Highton house into a church, angering nearby residents. Picture: Alan Barber

A controversial Christian sect that some see as a cult continues to expand its presence in Geelong after plans for another church in a residential area were approved by City Hall.

But the Exclusive Brethren’s proposal to transform a two-bedroom house on Roslyn Rd in Highton into a “place of assembly” faces a final hurdle in the form of an appeal to the state’s planning umpire by furious residents.

They are angry the application, submitted in November, was approved for non-residential use by an internal council committee last month despite receiving 21 objections during a public consultation phase in March.

Concerns centred on noise, traffic volume and inadequate parking measures.

Nearby residents have also been advised the value of their properties would fall considerably.

“Honestly who would want to live next door to a carpark, let alone a place of assembly,” the appeal to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal states.

“This is a private and exclusive entity with no value to the local community of Highton.”

The plans were lodged by the Geelong Gospel Trust, which is part of separatist sect, the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church — otherwise known as the Exclusive Brethren.

Members shun voting and television, and are forbidden from socialising with non-members.

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd in 2007 labelled the Brethren as “an extremist cult and sect” that “breaks up families”.

It is led by Sydney-born, former office furniture salesman Bruce Hales and claims to have more than 200 members in Geelong.

Council capped capacity at 234 Roslyn Rd to 50 people and pushed back the start of Sunday prayers from 6am, as requested by the church, to 7.30am.

Study groups and prayer meetings would be held for three hours each Monday from 6pm.

Fifteen car parks are planned for the rear of the 1148 sqm site, which last sold for $810,000 in September 2022.

The Brethren has two other churches in Highton – 131 Barrabool Rd and 233 Scenic Rd – and another at 195-197 Braund Ave in Bell Post Hill.

Construction of a church at 505 Ballarat Rd in Batesford, capable of holding up to 1000 people, is on track to be completed by year’s end.

Once opened, it will host neighbouring congregations for bible reading meetings.

A church spokesman described the Roslyn Rd site as a “small meeting room”.

“The meeting room was subject to a rigorous council process, and we would like to thank them for their active engagement,” he said.

“The inherently quiet nature of our meetings, the design of the building, the landscaping, trees, fencing, carparking and other features will all work to ensure no adverse impacts on our neighbours.

“We pray quietly, have onsite parking, maintain our gardens, don’t use loud instruments at our services and are only there a few hours a week.

“You’d struggle to find a lower-impact neighbour than us.”

After City Hall requested the Brethren to provide an acoustics report in May, a condition of the church’s Roslyn Rd permit is that it surround the site with a 2.3m-high fence.

Originally published as Exclusive Brethren has plans approved for its third Highton church, angering local residents