An artist impression of the new Golden Sands Baptist Church. Photo / Stufkens + Chambers
An artist impression of the new Golden Sands Baptist Church. Photo / Stufkens + Chambers
The fast-growing community in Pāpāmoa East will soon have a new, $8 million place to worship.
A $6.5m consent has been issued for a new 450-seat Baptist church, according to Tauranga City Council's latest building report.
The turning of the first sod at the one-hectare site on the corner ofTe Okuroa Drive, Stevenson Drive and Piata St was celebrated on May 8.
Ken Edkins, from Te Puke Baptist Church, said the land was bought about five years ago with help from the Bay of Plenty Baptist Association and cost about $2.3m.
The rest of the funding was provided by six individuals who were part of the wider Christian community, he said.
Edkins said they were also working with Brunel Construction and Golden Sands developers Bluehaven Group.
It was an $8m project, he said.
"We have a 1660sq m building for the main church part, which gives us a 450-seat auditorium. It has a foyer, child space, creche, hall and commercial kitchen."
They also had plans to build a community space for like-minded businesses, he said.
"We are building for what isn't there yet. Pāpāmoa is expected to expand a whole lot more. There is a real spiritual need for people to connect with God and grow in their faith.
"We are putting our money where our mouth is, really. We want to be a part of the community and be a help to the community.
"There is a lot more to people than just going to work, going home, building a house. There is a spiritual need within people as well."
Edkins said his 8-year-old granddaughter, Sienna Martin, helped turn the first sod.
"It was pretty special having Sienna on the end of the spade."
Construction is expected to be completed by this time next year.
Church pastor Colin Gruetzmacher said he was brought on by the Tauranga Baptist Association when the church started in 2018.
"We started the church from scratch," he said.
Initially, it operated from a concrete warehouse in Ashley Pl with a core community of about 50 to 60 people.
"We called it the Concrete Cathedral."
After outgrowing the warehouse, the church moved to the former Habitat for Humanity building in Market Pl, where it has been operating since 2019.
The church now has a community of about 180 people at its Sunday services, he said.
An artist impression of the new Golden Sands Baptist Church. Photo / Stufkens + Chambers
Gruetzmacher said it was a "real privilege" to be able to build a church from the ground up.
"Not many churches get to build a new building in a new community. It's a real honour.
"We really want to have a building that the community can see as their space too."
Stufkens + Chambers senior associate architect Jonathan Minnee said the design form took inspiration from the surrounding natural and social contexts.
"Historically, the local area was a flax cultivation area, so we have used this notion to assist in driving the design concept in different ways."
Minnee said the building was on the flat land between the Pacific Ocean and the Pāpāmoa Hills.
"This land also has strong axial linkages to sea connections found at Mauao and Maketū and was regarded as a meeting place between people - something that reflects how the church wishes to be within the community of Golden Sands.
"These aspects have all assisted in developing the design of the new church facility."
The church was one of 164 building consents issued for April valued at nearly $85m in total.
These included 18 commercial consents with a total value of $40,056,000 and 72 residential consents worth $41,526,247.
BUILDING CONSENTS - APRIL
53 Marine Parade Remedial work project involving full wall cladding replacement, new balcony waterproofing and balustrades. New roof overlay. $7m
59A Oceanbeach Rd Erect two-storey three-bedroom dwelling with attached double garage, retaining walls, swimming pool, spa pool and pool fencing. Detached single level two-bedroom sleepout. $1.8m
42 Piata St Construction of new single-level Church building and ancillary spaces on clear/flat sub-urban site. Steel frame and timber structure on concrete slab with associated hardscapes and car parking. $6.5m
21 Marine Parade Construct two-level, four-bedroom dwelling with attached triple garage and four-bedroom dwelling with attached quadruple garage. (Duplex) $3.1m
10 Kualua Close Construct a two-level, three-bedroom dwelling with attached double garage. $1.1m
1B Motiti Rd Construct a two-storey, four-bedroom dwelling with attached double garage. $2m
242 Grenada St Villas 204-205 (Duplex) - two single-level two-bedroom dwellings with attached single and double garage. Villas 206-207 (Duplex) - two single-level two-bedroom dwellings with attached single garage. $1.5m
108 Paerangi Pl New commercial property $1.5m
159 Waihi Rd A 3-level building consists of 28 independent living units within an aged care facility site. $13m
85 Kaweroa Drive Construction of two industrial buildings with 5 tenancies each. $1.9m
351 Matakokiri Drive Construction of new warehouse and office building. $2.5m
115 Kaweroa Drive Construction of a total 3373m2 commercial building. The building will be Leased by Penske NZ for Truck Buses servicing. $5m
