The religious group behind a controversial proposal to build a church meeting hall "disguised as a house" in Lake Albert has vowed to be accommodating neighbours.
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Wagga councillors approved the development application to build a Plymouth Brethren Church meeting hall at 53 Gregadoo Road during Monday night's council meeting.
The plans include the construction of a $250,000 building which would be used for quiet reflection and prayer twice a week, as well as a 13-vehicle car park.
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Carl Napier, local trustee for the Plymouth Brethren Church, said he was delighted to finally see the project given the green light.
"We are very relieved and very grateful to everyone involved who made it happen," he said.
Mr Napier said the church was hoping to apply for a construction certificate as soon as possible and begin building the hall "within three or four months".
The development application was approved despite numerous Gregadoo Road residents rallying against the project, arguing the hall would be out of place and disruptive to the residential street.
"This will have a huge detrimental effect on the streetscape that we as residents have built," Lake Albert resident Glen White said.
"It is a church meeting hall disguised as a house ... and it is completely out of character for the area."
Wagga councillors disregarded these concerns and said they believed the proposed building would be in line with the rest of the suburb.
Cr Rod Kendall spoke in favour of the project and said the church's history in the area was evidence they would not be disruptive neighbours.
"The applicant has runs on the board," he said. "They have three other similar meeting halls within this city all of which have operated for a number of years without a single complaint."
The development was approved subject to conditions, which include reductions to the size of the driveway and car park as well as more landscaping to shield the building from neighbours.
Mr Napier said the church would be happy to comply with the conditions and was keen to build a positive relationship with the Gregadoo Road community.
"We really want to work with the neighbours and do anything that mitigates concerns straight away," he said.
Up to 50 members of the church will be attending the meeting hall for one-hour sessions at 6am on Sunday and 6pm on Monday each week.
Crs Kendall, Richard Foley, Georgie Davies, Jenny McKinnon and Dallas Tout voted in favour of the development while Crs Dan Hayes, Amelia Parkins, Mick Henderson and Tim Koschel voted against.
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