A community meeting place, childcare facility, medical centre or character residential conversion are among future uses mooted for the former Titirangi Presbyterian Church which is up for sale.

For years a gathering place for local worshippers, the nearly 2,500-square-metre site at the edge of Titirangi village has been declared surplus to requirements by the Presbyterian Church and put on the market.

The freehold Atkinson Road property encompasses the approximately 447-square-metre former church building and a smaller 60-square-metre standalone unit set amid native trees. It sits directly across the road from Titirangi School and one minute’s drive from the suburb’s town centre, with good access to public transport.

Bayleys salesperson Craig Smith said the well-maintained premises presented commercial property buyers with an array of possibilities, subject to any necessary planning approvals.

“This sale presents a fantastic opportunity for another religious or community group seeking a gathering place, or for a conversion to the likes of a healthcare facility or an early childhood education centre.

“Alternatively, it could be a prized opportunity for a new owner to carry out a redevelopment or conversion to create new residential accommodation with a difference,” Smith said.

The Atkinson Road site is zoned Residential – Large Lot under the Auckland Unitary Plan, which provides for large lot residential development on the periphery of urban areas.

Titirangi has long been a popular lifestyle location for residents who value its native forest setting and access to beaches, walking tracks and the Waitakere Ranges, while also being just 13 kilometres from Auckland’s CBD. A vibrant arts scene adds to its charm, with galleries and boutiques showcasing local talent.

The freehold land and buildings at 234 Atkinson Road, Titirangi, Auckland, are being marketed for sale with vacant possession, through Smith and colleague Wesley Gerber of Bayleys Northwest.

The property will be sold by deadline private treaty closing on Thursday 6 June, unless it is sold prior.

Gerber said shrinking congregations had led to the disposal of numerous churches and other religious buildings across New Zealand in recent decades.

“Many of the things that made a property suitable for a church – such as accessible sites with plenty of parking in the heart of residential catchments – are also on the wish lists of commercial property buyers. Spacious interiors and character features often add further to their appeal.

“Across the country there are fine examples where these have been repurposed by imaginative new owners for a myriad of uses – including as bars, offices, art galleries, museums, performance venues, cultural centres, apartment complexes and family homes,” Gerber said.

“Now poised for its next life with a new owner, the former Titirangi Presbyterian Church could be the answer to commercial property buyers’ prayers.

Click here for more information on the listing.