A $180 million redevelopment of the Holy Monastery of Axion Estin, a Greek Orthodox church site in Northcote, is awaiting permit approval by Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny, with plans to transform the heritage precinct into a major mixed-use cultural and residential development.
The proposal would restore the 19th-century church and add a boutique hotel, amphitheatre, restaurant, early learning centre, and new housing including apartments and 22 townhouses, some earmarked for affordable housing.
The wider precinct, named “Chora”, spans 28,000 square metres and has been owned by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia for almost 30 years.
The project has received $10 million in federal funding and is being assessed under the Development Facilitation Program, which fast-tracks developments that include affordable housing components. Documents indicate 3 per cent of 82 dwellings would be allocated to a registered housing provider.
According to Sydney Morning Herald, His Grace Bishop Evmenios of Chora said the redevelopment aims to honour the church’s migrant history while opening the site to the wider public.
“Our Greek migrants, they came here in the ’50s and the ‘60s and the ’70s, they have offered a lot. We want to showcase this now… [and] open our doors to the wider community,” he said.
“It’s important to open up this place and create something special for everyone to enjoy. Young and old… Greek or non-Greek.”
Some residents have raised concerns about traffic, noise, parking pressure and impacts on the heritage-listed church, with around two dozen attending a consultation meeting to question aspects of the proposal, including the scale of housing and event spaces.
Resident Vanessa Walker said community members were seeking better outcomes and engagement.
“We’re at pains to not present as just griping NIMBYs. We really are wanting good, positive public outcomes for this site, because it’s so significant in many ways,” she said.
Project architect Billy Kavellaris said traffic and parking impacts had been assessed and amphitheatre events would remain small-scale, while confirming federal funding is directed toward heritage restoration. The proposal is still under assessment by the Department of Planning.
Source: Sydney Morning Herald.
