Ambitious $180m plans for heritage church site with restaurant and hotel

The multimillion dollar redevelopment of a Greek Orthodox church in the inner-north is being celebrated as a once-in-a-generation project, but faces criticism from nearby residents.

The plans to revamp the Holy Monastery of Axion Estin on Hartington Street in Northcote are awaiting permit approval from Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny. The project has an estimated cost of $180 million – $10 million of which is being funded by the federal government.

Along with the restoration of the prominent 19th century church building, plans include a boutique hotel, an amphitheatre, a restaurant and an early learning centre. A four-storey apartment building and 22 townhouses are also slated for construction – some of which will be set aside for affordable housing.

Some Northcote residents have concerns about the ambitious proposal, particularly the pressure it will place on parking, an increase in noise and the restricted sightlines to the important heritage building.

But the plans are being celebrated by the Greek community. Bishop Evmenios of Chora, who is overseeing the project on behalf of the church, said he hoped the proposed redevelopment would become an inclusive community space.

He also emphasised the importance of preserving the main church building, which is listed on the National Trust register.

“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,” Evmenios said.

“It’s important to open up this place and create something special for everyone to enjoy. Young and old … Greek or non-Greek,” he said. The proposed precinct has been named “Chora”, a Greek word meaning space or place.

The unique site – which is over 28,000 square metres – has been owned by the Greek Orthodox Church for almost 30 years. Before this, it was run as a home for the elderly by Catholic institute Little Sisters of The Poor.

In 2022, the federal government committed $10 million towards funding a new Greek cultural precinct at the site, saying at the time it would be “shovel ready” in 2023, with an estimated completion date one year after. The remaining funds are expected to come from the church and property sales.

A planning permit for the development was lodged with the state government last August as part of the Development Facilitation Program, a scheme which aims to fast-track eligible projects by bypassing council approval. The project qualifies due to its inclusion of affordable housing.

According to planning documents, the church intends to donate 3 per cent of its 82 dwellings to a registered housing agency, the minimum requirement to meet the affordable housing threshhold.

Evmenios added that the Greek Orthodox Church would like to see similar initiatives expanded to other diocese-owned land across Victoria.

“We understand the difficulties that the state has at the moment with housing. So we’re actually talking to government and seeing how we can also participate and collaborate,” he said.

Nearby resident Vanessa Walker said she was unsure how this small allotment of affordable housing would be included within the otherwise high-end project.

“I think it’s important … that there be diverse housing in any development of scale … We need housing to be more affordable for what is now becoming a growing proportion of the population,” she said.

Walker was one of about 24 residents who attended a public community consultation meeting with developers on Thursday evening. Along with affordable housing, concerns raised at the session included whether there would be adequate car parking, potential noise pollution from events and whether new sections of the development would be prioritised ahead of restoring the heritage church.

While Walker said she was encouraging of development that would improve the “run-down” sections of the site, she would like it to be done with proper community consultation and input.

“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,” Walker said.

Project architect Billy Kavellaris, who fielded public questions at the consultation evening, said the meeting was a good chance to hear from nearby residents.

Expert traffic engineers had consulted government planners to ensure proposed parking was adequate, Kavellaris said, while emphasising that events at the amphitheatre would be small scale and that the federal government funding was specifically allocated towards heritage restoration.

“We are interested in hearing people’s views, because I think it’s important … There’ll be differing views about what this building should be,” Kavellaris said.

“The way that the building is currently used is not going to be the way that it’s going to be used in the future,” he said.

A spokesperson from the Department of Planning would not comment on the proposal because it is currently under consideration.

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