St Paul’s Bankstown Anglican Church Demolition Approved: Community Group to Launch Legal Battle

St Paul’s Anglican Church Demolition Approved: Community Group to Launch Legal Battle

Updated: Friday, 17 October 2025 14:38 AEST

On Friday, 17 October 2025, the Canterbury Bankstown Local Planning Panel officially approved the demolition of the historic St Paul’s Anglican Church at 459 Chapel Road, Bankstown, despite fierce opposition from the local community and heritage advocates. You can read the decision and meeting minutes here.

The decision, communicated via an official notice from the council’s administration officer Joanna Niedbala, follows the panel meeting held on 13 October 2025, where the development application (DA-438/2025) was considered. The approval allows for the demolition of all existing structures on the site to make way for a redevelopment project promising social and affordable housing alongside new community facilities.

St Paul’s Church, established in 1914 and a cherished landmark for over a century, has been at the heart of Bankstown’s community and multicultural history. The church’s architectural and social significance has been highlighted repeatedly by heritage experts and local residents, who have fought tirelessly to preserve the site.

The community and heritage advocates remain determined to preserve this emblem of Bankstown’s past and future.

This weekend’s lectionary reading features the Parable of the Persistent Widow, a powerful reminder of the strength found in perseverance and faith in the face of injustice. Much like the widow who tirelessly seeks justice, the community’s fight to save St Paul’s embodies steadfast determination and hope.

“And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?” — Luke 18:7 (NIV)

The fight to save St Paul’s continues, now entering a critical phase.

Please keep this fight in your prayers as the community seeks justice and preservation of their heritage.

For further updates and to support the campaign, visit www.savestpaulsbankstown.org.au.

Editor's Note: We reached out to Save St Pauls Bankstown for comment and have received no response at this time.

This audio recording is from the Canterbury Bankstown Local Planning Panel (CBLPP) council meeting held on 13 October 2025. You can listen to the full discussion regarding the St Paul’s Anglican Church demolition decision. Use the controls to play, pause, or adjust the volume as needed.