ST : Mega space headache for megachurches

Jul 29, 2010

Mega space headache for megachurches

The big churches' need for more space might exceed available supply

By Lee Siew Hua

THE Government has taken the guesswork out of religious groups' decisions on how much commercial space they should use for their activities.

Churches have for years rented commercial premises, from cinemas to convention halls, for their Sunday services. Some did so even while wondering if they would one day be served notice that they would have to stop.

The state of uncertainty ended last week when the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) guidelines on the issue were made public for the first time. No more than 20,000 sq m or 20 per cent - whichever is lower - of any commercial complex's gross floor area may be used for religious reasons. And each religious organisation can take up only a maximum 10,000 sq m in a commercial place.

Making the guidelines public was a wise and necessary move, followingthe controversial moves by large space-hungry churches into commercial quarters.

The URA has made it clear its guidelines apply to all religious groups and do not target any specific community.

In coming up with the guidelines, the Government has to balance the need to allow room for religion while protecting the secular character of commercial places like Suntec City, where City Harvest Church plans to relocate to next year.

The church has bought into the complex, becoming a new minority shareholder. Even so, the URA guidelines will apply in this case too, and City Harvest will not be able to use more than 10,000 sq m of space in Suntec City.

But while the guidelines spell out the limits clearly, they may in fact be a short-term fix. This is because some megachurches are already using all the space they are allowed under the guidelines.

City Harvest and Faith Community Baptist Church, for example, are each leasing halls of about 10,000 sq m at the Singapore Expo.

Given that the 33,000-strong City Harvest has grown at an average 15 per cent a year in the last decade, it is reasonable to expect that it will soon be bursting at the seams at its Expo location, even if the current probe into its leaders for alleged misuse of funds slows expansion.

City Harvest, Singapore's biggest Protestant church, is now studying implications of the URA guidelines with Suntec Singapore. It is always possible that its architectural plans for an auditorium there may be redrawn to stay safely within the rules.

Another megachurch, the 20,000-strong New Creation, faces a similar space crunch in the near future. It has grown 12 per cent annually in the last five years. It, too, has to be sure that its footprint does not exceed 10,000 sq m when it sets up an auditorium at the one-north lifestyle hub being developed by its business arm Rock Productions with property giant CapitaLand. The church plans to move in 2012.

Every smidgen of its space there will be stretched to house Sunday school classes for some 2,000 children, hospitality rooms, ministry zones, aisles and other church needs. Will 10,000 sq m be enough?

Another guideline stipulates that religious activities may be held for no more than two days a week in any commercial setting. This affects some churches that conduct house prayer meetings, Bible classes, leadership training, worship practices and assorted activities on weekdays.

Some activities may have to be scaled back, or squeezed into the weekend. Ironically, this in a way raises the church's visibility on weekends, if those in a crowd can be identified as churchgoers. If so, this might alter the secular, commercial character of the venue more than if gatherings were dispersed over shorter bursts during the week.

In the long term, churches' use of commercial space is really a second-best option. Many churches prefer a permanent site on a purchased plot.

But in the last five years, fewer plots have been released for church purposes. They have also shrunk in size, from 4,617 sq m in 1995 to under 3,000 sq m now. A building on a land plot this size can house an auditorium for 1,000 - too small for megachurches used to holding services for five times that size.

The scarcity has also prompted a bidding war, putting land beyond the reach of some churches.

The short lease for land devoted to religious purposes was trimmed from 60 to 30 years around 1990. This can reduce the incentive to spend on developing a building.

The first of the 30-year church leases are due to expire around 2020. Ten years is not a long time to start to plan a major move for possibly thousands of members. The URA should start talks with tenants on conditions for lease renewal so that churches can plan ahead.

In general, more open dialogue between the Government and religious groups can help the latter find alternative venues to house their flocks.

One suggestion is for different-sized plots to be released so groups of varying sizes can vie for land on a more equal footing.

Another idea is to have one big tract of land set aside to develop, say, several high-rise churches, big and small. Sharing premises would lower the development cost and make the land price more affordable.

Apart from tinkering with land leases, the two sides can jointly explore the use of existing premises. Mission schools already open their auditoriums for church activities. Government schools can think about doing the same for a rental fee - with the proviso that no religious paraphernalia be set up. Groups can also hook up with the 1,000 private schools, some with auditoriums and rooms suitable for Sunday activities.

With religiosity rising in Singapore, the number of people who attend religious activities will only go up.

The URA guidelines capping the use of commercial premises by religious groups are a good solution for now. But they will probably need to be revised in a few years if current trends persist.

The URA has shown its ability to balance competing uses for scarce land. Similarly, it will need to recalibrate policy over time for religious groups seeking a home.

siewhua@sph.com.sg