Latest news with #AllSaintsAnglicanChurch
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
Dismay over heritage-listed Bendigo church that keeps catching fire
One night last week, fire almost destroyed an old pine tree in front of the former All Saints Anglican Church of Bendigo – one of the oldest churches in the historic city. The following night, firefighters were again called to the same property when flames torched part of the building's interior. The fires saddened many Bendigo residents who responded with dismay to videos of the blazes posted on social media. Yet, the fires can have hardly come as a surprise. For the past five years, at least, the disused church has been the target of repeated vandalism and fires. The last service was held at the church in 2015 before it was sold on the private market. Neighbours say the building has been allowed to fall into disrepair and invites vagrancy. But one of its part-owners argues the planning process, complete with objections, has left it unoccupied and vulnerable to repeated vandalism despite efforts to protect it. The building is heritage listed. The Victorian Heritage Database says it dates back to 1855 with a major addition to the original structure 80 years later. A stained-glass window and pipe organ also have heritage protection. Loading The building has been the subject of multiple attempts at gaining planning permits for development. In 2020, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal rejected plans to build a residential development on heritage grounds following objections from neighbours. About four years later, the City of Greater Bendigo refused a planning permit before that decision was appealed in the tribunal. After mediation, the council reconsidered its refusal and decided to support the application. The property owners now have permission to build 14 dwellings on the site.
The Age
2 days ago
- General
- The Age
Dismay over heritage-listed Bendigo church that keeps catching fire
One night last week, fire almost destroyed an old pine tree in front of the former All Saints Anglican Church of Bendigo – one of the oldest churches in the historic city. The following night, firefighters were again called to the same property when flames torched part of the building's interior. The fires saddened many Bendigo residents who responded with dismay to videos of the blazes posted on social media. Yet, the fires can have hardly come as a surprise. For the past five years, at least, the disused church has been the target of repeated vandalism and fires. The last service was held at the church in 2015 before it was sold on the private market. Neighbours say the building has been allowed to fall into disrepair and invites vagrancy. But one of its part-owners argues the planning process, complete with objections, has left it unoccupied and vulnerable to repeated vandalism despite efforts to protect it. The building is heritage listed. The Victorian Heritage Database says it dates back to 1855 with a major addition to the original structure 80 years later. A stained-glass window and pipe organ also have heritage protection. Loading The building has been the subject of multiple attempts at gaining planning permits for development. In 2020, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal rejected plans to build a residential development on heritage grounds following objections from neighbours. About four years later, the City of Greater Bendigo refused a planning permit before that decision was appealed in the tribunal. After mediation, the council reconsidered its refusal and decided to support the application. The property owners now have permission to build 14 dwellings on the site.
Ottawa Citizen
17-07-2025
- Business
- Ottawa Citizen
New homes: Former Anglican church's unused property to become location for a nine-storey condo
The former All Saints Anglican Church turned community hub in Sandy Hill will become even more of a gathering space with a forward-thinking residential development called The Evergreen. Article content The project, launched in June, will turn unused land on the property into a nine-storey condo building that will hug the back of the church, incorporating its exterior as an exposed limestone wall in the building's soaring lobby. Article content Article content Article content It's an example of community-led development that has buy-in from the neighbourhood and allows the creation of further amenities for Sandy Hill residents. Article content Article content 'We saw the heritage (church) building as a really important community asset, a place where if we developed it in a way that people could really use the space, we thought it would be a major community asset,' says Leanne Moussa, a Sandy Hill resident who put together a group of investors to buy the church in 2015 and then set about reimagining it as an inclusive urban space called Allsaints. Article content 'We asked people what are the amenities that are missing in Sandy Hill, what do we have that are great assets, and how can we use this property to further develop that?' Article content The church was restored and became home to an events space, the restaurant Working Title Kitchen and a small bakery that Moussa runs. She also had the property rezoned for further development, a process that the community association and Heritage Ottawa supported 'because we worked very closely with them to make sure that we were all in step,' she says. Article content Article content Then she went looking for a developer, ultimately opting for Windmill Development Group, which has a track record for thoughtful sustainable design and reimagining church properties such as Stone Abbey in Old Ottawa South and Cathedral Hill downtown. Windmill was also the initial developer behind the revitalization of the old Domtar industrial site on the Ottawa River that has since become known as Zibi. Article content 'Anytime we're working on a site, it is often in partnership with like-minded individuals who have a strong engagement with the community, (which) often results in strong synergies' to find the right type of development for the site, says Windmill president Jeremy Reeds.
