1 Marleycombe Rd, Elizabeth Vale.
A controversial church has put its Elizabeth Vale property on the market as growing membership forces it to seek larger premises.
The Potter’s House church at 1 Marleycombe Rd is for sale, with selling agent James Juers, from McGees Property, confirming inquiries had already been received from other “non-traditional churches’’ and community groups looking for a meeting space, as well as residential developers.
Mr Juers said The Potter’s House had outgrown the church and hall facility and would use the proceeds from the sale of the 1819sqm corner block to purchase a bigger site.
1 Marleycombe Rd, Elizabeth Vale.
1 Marleycombe Rd, Elizabeth Vale.
The devout Pentecostal church, which was founded in the US but has spread to operate across suburban Australia, has made media headlines on numerous occasions in recent years.
A news.com.au investigation last year found church members were encouraged to spread anti-gay messages, forbidden from friendships outside the church, forced to watch graphic anti-abortion films from a young age and told that suicidal thoughts and illnesses were a demonic assault that could be cured, in part, by preachers speaking in tongues.
News.com.au approached The Potter’s House for comment at the time but did not receive a response.
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The Potter’s House has owned the Elizabeth Vale property since 2021, property records show. Mr Juers said the church had met at the premises until a couple of months ago.
“They (The Potter’s House) were operating it as a church as recently as two months ago but they’ve outgrown it,’’ he said.
“They (the church membership) have grown and they don’t really fit anymore so they will be going to somewhere bigger.’’
1 Marleycombe Rd, Elizabeth Vale.
1 Marleycombe Rd, Elizabeth Vale.
Mr Juers said it was not appropriate to disclose the other religious and community groups who had expressed interest in the property.
He said inquires had also been received from local developers but they would be required to have a longstanding encumbrance, which required the property to remain as a church, lifted.
“It would be a great block for residential if the encumbrance wasn’t there,’’ Mr Juers said.
“You could cut it up (subdivide it) … into five to seven blocks, subject to council consent.
“We are certainly not pushing it as (suitable for) residential development … (but) if someone comes and makes an offer and can get the encumbrance lifted, well, more power to them.
“I reckon they would have a good chance (of having it lifted) … with the shortage of residential housing.’’
Mr Juers expected offers of more than $1m would be received but said that figure could increase significantly if investigations revealed the encumbrance could be removed.
Expressions of interest close on November 26.