Plymouth Brethren Church fights council recommendation against new Kyneton church

A regional leader of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church expressed surprise after a recommendation to deny planning permission for a new church in Kyneton, Victoria. The church, applying through the Kyneton Gospel Trust, wishes to construct a place of worship for 45 members within a housing development in Kyneton, located 87 kilometers northwest of Melbourne.

Macedon Ranges Shire Council, however, deemed the proposal unsuitable for the low-density residential area. Brian Edmonds, a trustee for the Kyneton Gospel Trust, stated that the group has never encountered such extensive planning hurdles before. He noted the Brethren have been established in Kyneton for over 130 years, with a local congregation exceeding 160 people.

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If you spoke to our non-community staff members, they would say there is a misperception of the church. I don't think they would have a bad word to say. We employ more than 200 non-community members across the Macedon Ranges.

Edmonds emphasized that non-community staff members employed by the church would attest to a positive perception of the church, noting they employ over 200 such individuals in the Macedon Ranges. He also pointed out that the council has received 23 letters of support for the new church, with no written objections. Edmonds added that neighbors are supportive and that the church aims to build structures that blend with the surroundings, proposing restrictions like limited use of the prayer room to minimize impact.

Council documents indicate the church would accommodate up to 45 people and be situated on the edge of a new housing estate. While acknowledging supportive submissions, the council's planning director, Rebecca Stockfield, noted that the proposal "had not adequately demonstrated" how the area's character would be maintained or enhanced. The land in question was last sold in 2021 for approximately $1 million. The church has faced past controversies, including allegations of paying influencers to harass election candidates and intimidating former members.

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Our goal is to continue to live and worship in the region in buildings that blend in with our surroundings and are a subtle addition to the street. We have proposed strict protections to reduce any impacts on our neighbours, such as a self-imposed restriction to only use our prayer meeting room twice a week for less than an hour each. Additionally, the prayer meeting room would only be used by locals who already live nearby.