Our Whanganui Anglican whānau, along with other parishes around our movement, are moving into supplying “warm, dry, suitable rental housing,” using spare church land across the region.

Co-Vicar Caleb Rowe says, “We started having parish discussions about a year ago to help us decide what we should be doing together and how we could help more in our community. The need for affordable rental housing came up and we looked at what our buildings and lands were being used for in the context of the needs of our city.”

Nick Young, the head of our housing programme, says, “Whanganui’s thinking fitted in with our priorities, and across the diocese we have identified Parishes with spare land and buildings.” This includes space for 19 units in Whanganui with up to 200 across the diocese.

Caleb comments that “When we shared these conclusions with Parish members, it was met with a standing ovation. Support was unanimous.”

It is not a case of one size fits all. As Nick explains, “there will be different solutions. Thorndon in Wellington and Ashurst in Manawatu have very different needs.” However, the most popular likely size will be 1-to-2-bedroom units through to multi-storied housing in higher density situations in Wellington.

In the analysis of what is the best use of land and buildings in the Diocese, Nick points out, “Nothing is off the table. Some parishes may decide that church buildings will need to be replaced, while others will be strengthened and repurposed with the focus on making them multi-purposed. The same applies to halls and vicarages.”

“The Diocese would provide seed funding to cover the first third of the cost of building with the remaining costs met by third party financing,” Nick explains. He sees local builders being used as well as pre-fabrication taking place for common designs.

As for tenancy management Nick says, “it would be done by a centralised agency in consultation with local Parishes to the level they want or can cope with, with the possibility of working with an approved social community provider.” As for Whanganui, Caleb says, “As we have some experience in this area, we will be more involved.”

In Whanganui, the plan is to have four units built on spare land at each of the following churches:

• St Peter’s, Gonville

• St Luke’s, Castlecliff

• St Laurence’s, Aramoho

• All Saints in Whanganui East

And three at St Chads, St John’s Hill. The halls at St Laurence’s and All Saints will be demolished. The St Laurence’s church will be sold.

At the same time there is a need for earthquake strengthening at Christ Church, All Saints and St Oswald’s while the earthquake rating for St John’s on the way to Fordell is to be reassessed.

The earthquake prone rating for Christ Church is less than 20% - the lowest grade - and the Parish has made the decision that it has to be rebuilt as the cost to earthquake strengthen to a suitable level would be over $5million.

“The pews, communion table, the stained glass and the organ will all be saved and re-used,” Caleb explains. “The Friends of the Christ Church organ are excited about the possibility as it will be an opportunity to shift the console to a mezzanine position, considered to be much better than in the floor of the church.”

The new replacement building will be purpose built and after community engagement happens. The earthquake strengthening of All Saints will take place first allowing it to be used for Christ Church members while it is being rebuilt.

Nick says, “The whole project is underway with the first site in the Hutt Valley and hopefully before the end of the year, will commence in Whanganui.”

The driver for the parish is to do “what benefits the community,” says Caleb. “We will be able to house 19 families and beyond. It will be putting into action the saying of Christ to look after ‘The last, the lost and the least.’

By Doug Davidson (Original article published on the front page of River City Press, 25 August 2022)

If you are interested in find out more about the housing programme, contact Nick Young: nick@anglicanmovement.nz