Across Sydney, churches are paying millions of dollars for large-scale developments, prompting questions about whether religious organisations are paying their fair share of taxes and other property levies | smh_andrew
Churches are embarking on large-scale residential and office developments across Sydney worth hundreds of millions of dollars, prompting questions about whether religious organisations are paying their fair share of taxes and other property levies.
The NSW Greens planning spokesman Jamie Parker said churches were behaving more like corporations than charities when it came to redeveloping property.“They are privatising the benefits of assets that have been subsidised by the public for decades through favourable tax arrangements,” he said. “The public expects that church properties should be used for good works, not inappropriate overdevelopments.
Bruce Morrison, the Cathedral’s senior minister, said the project also includes a civic square that will create a new setting for the historic cathedral. However, the plan also includes demolishing a heritage-listed church hall, which has triggered concerns from the National Trust.The Uniting Church has unveiled a $108 million development proposal for three buildings, including a 27-storey tower, in Burwood.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church’s plan to build apartment towers around the Wahroonga Adventist School has also, with church members, Ku-ring-gai council and parents raising concerns about the residential development.
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