A vacant warehouse could be transformed into a dedicated church facility under new plans.
Calvary Temple Assembly of God Townsville has lodged a development application with Sunshine Coast Council to convert the building at 19 Industrial Avenue, Caloundra West, into a place of worship.
The 3034sqm property contains a 1232sqm warehouse, which would largely retain its existing scale and structure while undergoing an internal fit-out and external improvements.
Plans show an auditorium and stage, foyer, cafe, children’s rooms, parents’ room, playground and covered outdoor entrance.
The proposal includes 27 car parks, compared with a planning scheme benchmark of 82 based on the building’s gross floor area.
Calvary group general manager Matt Pappas said the site would provide the Caloundra congregation with greater certainty.
“The proposed location at 19 Industrial Avenue would provide Calvary Caloundra with a stable, ongoing home within the local community,” he told SCN.
“It creates a welcoming space where individuals and families can build meaningful relationships, find encouragement and support.”
The applicant’s planning report states the on-site parking would be adequate for most weekday activities, when attendance is generally expected to range from five to 40 people.
Larger gatherings would include a Friday night youth service involving up to 50 children, plus leaders and a pastor, and a Sunday morning service for about 200 people.
The report states not everyone would arrive in a separate vehicle and “ample overflow parking” would be available along Industrial Avenue because the larger gatherings would occur outside normal business hours.
Mr Pappas said the timing of services was expected to reduce competition for parking.
“The facility plan includes on-site parking, with additional street parking available in the surrounding industrial area,” he said.
“As church services are held outside typical business operating hours, there is an opportunity to minimise overlap with the parking needs of neighbouring businesses on Sundays.”
He said Calvary was working with council and its town planning team on parking, access and the proposed activities at the site.
The proposal also falls below planning scheme benchmarks for motorcycle and scooter parking, with five spaces proposed instead of 12, while 24 bicycle spaces are proposed against a benchmark of 25.
Calvary already has an established Sunshine Coast campus at Tanawha, while its Caloundra congregation currently meets at the Sunshine Coast Function Centre at Caloundra RSL. The Industrial Avenue proposal would give the congregation a permanent base if approved.
The property is about 450m north-east of Caloundra Road, among a mix of industrial, commercial and service businesses.
The property is owned by RAJ (Qld) Pty Ltd, which has provided consent for the application. The site is within the Specialised Centre Zone and the application is code assessable.
The planning report states a place of worship is a consistent use within the zone and concludes the proposal meets the relevant performance outcomes despite the parking variations.
Because part of the property is within 25m of the Nicklin Way state-controlled road corridor, the proposal also requires referral to the State Assessment and Referral Agency.
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The proposal would retain the warehouse’s existing 6.3m maximum building height, below the site’s 12m planning limit, while adding new signage, a covered entrance and landscaping improvements.
The development application remains before Sunshine Coast Council.
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