Faith groups eye historic St Aidan’s Anglican Church in Marden

A grand Adelaide church looks likely to continue as a place of worship despite its pending sale, with most interest coming from religious groups.

While the 141-year-old St Aidan’s Anglican Church had obvious commercial opportunity, Ray White Port Adelaide selling agent Nick Psarros said “half a dozen faith communities’’ formed the majority of those expected to make a purchase offer.

“Some of those faith groups are from the local community, some are mainstream (churches) and some are from different ethnicities,’’ Mr Psarros said.

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401 Payneham Rd & Lot 100 O.G Rd, Marden

401 Payneham Rd & Lot 100 O.G Rd, Marden

401 Payneham Rd & Lot 100 O.G Rd, Marden

401 Payneham Rd & Lot 100 O.G Rd, Marden

“Some of those faith groups are (currently) just meeting in halls and finding it hard to find a church or a place of worship.

“Lots of them see a hall come up and it looks great but … they have to go to council to change (the land use) to a place of worship and then there’s all these other issues and by the time they do all their due diligence with council they have lost the property to someone else.

“So when they find a place of worship like this, that can have hundreds of people there, it’s a rare thing.

“They don’t have to involve the council to use it as a church because it already is (one).’’

Mr Psarros said the distinctive red brick church, primely located on the corner of Payneham and OG roads at Marden, held its last service only last month.

With no more than 15 local parishioners, he said the Anglican Church had decided to sell the property, which is set on two titles spanning a combined 1999sqm.

Reverend Peter from St. Martin’s – home of new parish East Torrens Anglicans – told ABC Adelaide’s Sonya Feldhoff and Jules Schiller in June that part of the reason they were selling the church was because its foundations were “sinking” and they couldn’t afford to repair it.

He said cracks and faults had formed in the building since a nearby intersection was redeveloped.

“The congregation cannot afford to do the repair work, but the building will have to be maintained by a new owner who’s prepared to do the reparation work,” he said.

As it is state heritage listed, he said demolition was not an option.

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401 Payneham Rd & Lot 100 O.G Rd, Marden

401 Payneham Rd & Lot 100 O.G Rd, Marden

401 Payneham Rd & Lot 100 O.G Rd, Marden

401 Payneham Rd & Lot 100 O.G Rd, Marden

As well as the church, which was built in 1884 and features striking arched stained glass and round clerestory windows, the property includes an expansive hall with a raised stage, fully-equipped commercial kitchen and adjoining cafeteria space and a bathroom.

There is also separate office space, including a building previously used by the church as a second-hand shop, and plenty of onsite parking.

Mr Psarros said “a couple of investors and a couple mainly looking at a future office set-up’’ had also shown interest in purchasing the property.

While disused churches were often converted into spectacular homes, he said the size of this particular property made it unlikely the buyer would turn it into a private residence.

“It’s really big – it’s huge,’’ Mr Psarros said.

“You see a lot of smaller churches that have been used for residential – this would be a palace.’’

The property is listed without a price guide, with offers closing on at noon on August 27.

– by Lauren Ahwan