Hillsong Church has confirmed it is in talks with “experienced development partners” about plans to develop its sprawling Hills Campus for the “long-term mission of the church and the benefit of the wider community,” but nothing is final.
“You may have seen recent media coverage regarding planning approvals connected to land on our Hills campus site. At this stage, no final development plans have been confirmed and there is no commencement timeline,” Hillsong Church said in a statement posted on their website on Saturday.
“Like many organizations, we are exploring future options and approvals to steward our property responsibly for the long term mission of the church and the benefit of the wider community. In due course, as we always do, we will inform our church community clearly and directly should any plans be finalized,” church officials added.
Hillsong Church and developer Capital Corporation recently filed a proposal for a mixed-use development, Century Hills, with the state government for land owned by the church, The Daily Telegraph reports.
The development, which proposes subdividing the church’s land into three lots and increasing building heights to up to 209 meters, is expected to cost more than $718 million, or just over $1 billion Australian. The plan would also reportedly see the development of up to 915 apartments on the land where Hillsong’s convention center currently sits.
“As a church, we have made thoughtful and strategic property decisions in recent years to support the vision God has entrusted to us, including the planting of new churches. Last year, we announced the launch of Hillsong Melbourne South East as part of our commitment to seeing life giving churches established in communities across Australia,” the church said.
“Any proposed plans prioritize the continued servicing of church life, including weekend services and weekday ministries, and are designed not to impact but to enhance our ability to meet the needs of the local community.”
The church, which is located less than 100 meters from the Norwest Metro station, intends to “focus on high quality design, public amenity, and long term community benefit” in any final proposal.
“We will continue to work constructively with the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure and Council as part of this process,” officials said.
In 2021, Hillsong Church faced a $20 million lawsuit in Australia stemming from its connection with Sydney Christian Life Centre, a developer and part of the church’s property arm. Owners of nearly 300 Sydney apartments alleged that Hillsong and the construction firm hired to build its housing complex made their homes structurally unsound.
“We’re worried we will find it difficult to sell our apartments,” one owner, who requested anonymity, told the Daily Telegraph of the units sold for between $440,000 and $945,000.
The lawsuit accused the SCLC of “breach[ing] their duties of care in causing or permitting the defective work.” It is also alleged that residents were prevented from inspecting “the common property” before buying their units. In 2019, structural engineers allegedly found that the windows and balconies in the units were not up to code.
Hillsong argued in a counterclaim that the construction firm, Icon Construction Australia, is at fault.
In the U.S., the global megachurch network also amassed a real estate portfolio that was “expected to appreciate to over $40 million” since launching its first U.S. location in New York City in 2010, according to private investigator Barry Bowen of the Trinity Foundation, an organization that monitors church fraud.
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