Plans for a $3 million church complex with 347 seats and 112 car parking spaces have been forwarded to Orange City Council.
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Under the development application [DA] the Orange Evangelical Church’s new home would be on land it owns at the corner of Ploughmans Lane and Cargo Road.
The DA states the church building would take up an area of 967 square metres.
“Proposed works include the construction of a new road and intersection to provide access to the site from Cargo Road,” it said.
The works would also include converting the existing dwelling on the property at 241 Ploughmans Lane into ancillary offices, constructing an outdoor playground area and installing identification signs.
“The building will be utilised on Sundays for services and Sunday school activities as well as various small groups, bible study, kids’ club, youth groups, throughout the week,” it said.
Under the DA the main building would have several rooms apart from the main auditorium including three classrooms.
Assistant minister Paul Owens said the church was close to selling its current offices, the former Australia cinema in Lords Place.
“We have signed a contract for the sale,” he said.
“We tried to develop that site but we weren’t able to.
“Basically the [Ploughmans Lane] site is more suitable for our needs.”
Mr Owens said the church would need to complete the sale of the Lords Place site and begin fundraising to go ahead with the development.
While the church has offices in the former cinema it holds Sunday worship at the Orange Anglican Grammar School and Orange Public school hall.
The DA states that the church’s “anticipated usage level” on Sundays would total 620 people.
The largest services would be at 9am [210 people] and at 11am [200 people].
Mr Owens said there would be sufficient car parking to meet the peak demand.
He said it was more than the council’s requirements.
The DA will be on display until 5pm on Monday December 18.
During this period people can make a written submission about the proposal to council.
It would then be assessed by council officers.