SEMZ are pleased to announce that The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning has advised the Uniting Church Synod of Victoria and Tasmania (UCA) of its decision to approve the Planning Permit Application for the Wesley Upper Lonsdale Street redevelopment proposal.  Leighton Properties Pty Ltd submitted the Planning Permit Application on behalf of the Church in January 2015.

The approval is significant because it allows the establishment of an innovative sinking fund for the preservation and maintenance of Melbourne’s historic Wesley Church in the next century and beyond.  Wesley Church, Manse, Schoolhouse and Caretaker’s Cottage represent the earliest intact neo-Gothic church complex in Victoria.  The planning approval safeguards the longevity of these buildings which have the highest significant heritage value on the site.  A unique transaction with the developer allows the site not to be sold, but leased from the Uniting Church for 125 years, ensuring the church’s future as a place of worship and community gathering for perpetuity.

SEMZ was engaged to provide the UCA with complete strategic property advisory services.

SEMZ was responsible for preparing and undertaking a complex Request for Proposal (RFP) process to procure a development partner including facilitating project governance, stakeholder management and the RFP evaluation processes.

Our role also included the negotiation of a terms sheet and Development Agreement and associated Agreements for Lease for the UCA & Wesley Missions Victoria.

This project continues to be managed & administered by SEMZ pursuant to the Development Agreement.