The proposal for a church to be constructed using a basic portal frame steel shed design, where the external side and rear walls are colourbond and the front wall a natural brick façade, was passed by councillors on June 25.

Councillor Michael McManus put forward a motion opposing the development application on the basis that the proposed design resembled a ‘shed.’ Councillor David Hingston supported the motion.

“I don’t believe we need another shed overlooking the river,” Cr McManus said.

“I’m not anti-Church I just find the design of this building inappropriate…at the end of one of the most significant streets in this town.

“I just have a problem with this design. It’s a cheap design. If they come back with a significant design, I would be happy to move it.”’

The motion prompted a healthy debate in the council chambers with a number of councillors taking the floor to express their opinion.

“It is a Church. Even if it is made of tin it is still a Church…I’m sure they are doing the best they can,” Councillor David Needham said.

Councillor Brian O’Connor agreed: “I don’t think we have the prerogative to be dictating the purpose of the building of a place of worship.

“It is out of our prerogative as mere mortals to be interfering with the work of those higher than us,” Cr O’Connor said.

In the end the DA was passed with an additional provision for landscaping. The applicant will need to submit to council a landscaping plan and colour scheme prior to receiving a construction certificate.

Local Baptist Minister Reverend Terry Logan was yet to receive official confirmation of council’s approval when contacted by the Yass Tribune.

“I feel terrific. It’s taken a long time to get through, it’s something we’ve been working on for six years,” Mr Logan said when notified.

The Baptist community in Yass has been meeting each Sunday at Berrinba Public School and prior to that the Yass Senior Citizens' club hall. Mr Logan has seen the local congregation almost double in the six years he has spent in the town.

“We have planned a building that will seat about 100-120 people. We deliberately planned a building that would allow us scope for the future. A building that will serve the needs of our community,” Mr Logan said.

He did not take offence to the suggestion the application design resembled a ‘shed.’

“It is difficult to design a modern church building today that does not look like a shed.

“I understand why Council might say that. It is very difficult to build a multi-purpose building that will allow you to worship and have other activities at the same time without it looking like a shed.

“In reality the Church is not a building, it is the body of people. The building enables us to meet as the body of Christ.”

Mr Logan hopes construction will begin at the Laidlaw Street site within the next few weeks with a completion date planned for the end of the year.