Plans to build a large "warehouse-shaped" church on the outskirts of Castlemaine in Central Victoria have caused a small number of residents to raise concerns about the development.
The secretive Exclusive Brethren sect, now known as the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, is hoping to build a church hall in a bushland area north of the town.
Kim Michelmore lives opposite the proposed site of the church on Blakeley Road.
"We live in a rural living zone — [a church] is not really what you'd normally expect in those areas," he said.
"This application is for a significantly larger building — we're talking 860-seating capacity, 160 car parks — the building is fundamentally a warehouse.
"It is one great, large rectangular warehouse-shaped building."
In a statement, the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church said the church would host larger events sporadically, and otherwise be used by local members.
"The proposed hall will be able to accommodate up to 860 people, but this would only occur once every 2–5 years," it said.
"On an average day it would accommodate 90 people."
The statement also said the church had already altered plans to accommodate community feedback, and the construction of the church would benefit the community.
"Under the proposed $1.6 million construction project, this church will employ many people and we want to engage with local electricians, plumbers, builders and tradies in that project," it said.
A Mount Alexander Shire Council spokesperson confirmed it had received an application to develop land on Blakeley Road in Castlemaine for a place of worship.
"The application also includes an associated carpark, two-lot subdivision, removal of native vegetation and the reduction of car parking requirements," the spokesperson said.
"There have been several objections to the application regarding the size of the church, the carpark, wildlife that may be affected and potential disruption to traffic."
The council will vote on the planning permit on Tuesday night.
Concerns for displacement of wildlife
Mr Michelmore said he had been aware of the proposal since February and he and four others had lodged objections to the development.
"The concerns that we raised with the developers were fundamentally put aside," he said.
"I'm not against anybody having any beliefs in life, but our real issue is that a statewide meeting place is not appropriate in a low-density residential zone."
Mr Michelmore said he worried about what would happen to the variety of wildlife in the area if the church was developed.
"This section of land is frequented by a huge range of wildlife," he said.
"There's a mob of 35 kangaroos that graze every morning, there's phascogales that glide in every night.
"There are a significant range of interesting wildlife that will be excluded from this quite large piece of land."
