In planning documents submitted to the City of Ballarat, Sebastopol's Rise Christian Church has submitted an application to set up a place of worship at the building, on Icon Drive.

The documents state there would be no change to the building or its car park, if approved, with a maximum of 200 patrons on-site at any one time.

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The site would be used for evening meetings in the evening, and services every Sunday morning and evening, as well as weddings and funerals.

The land is currently zoned industrial 1, and as a place of worship is defined as a 'place of assembly', it is a permit required use.

According to state policy, the zoning is designed to "protect industrial activity from the encroachment of commercial, residential, and other sensitive uses", and council's policy calls for the zoning to "protect and provide buffers" from sensitive uses.

However, the planning report states the proposal will not "result in the loss of an existing industrial use".

"Although the policy context gives preference to the preservation of industrially zoned land for industrial uses and there are broad statements of support for the provision of social and cultural facilities in Activity Centres, there is no local policy guiding the preferred location of discretionary uses in Ballarat or the more specific use of a place of worship," the report states.

"The proposed is one of a number of non-industrial uses that is contemplated in the (industrial zone framework) subject to the grant of a permit.

"This is demonstrated by the site's permit history, which includes the approval of the previous non-industrial use."

The neighbourhood character will be "unchanged" by the proposal, the document continues.

"The intensity of use is relatively modest and permit conditions can moderate hours and patron number as appropriate," it states.

"The building can be readily converted to an industrial use should the proposed use subsequently cease."

The planning application also calls for a reduction in the number of required car park spaces.

The former indoor playground on the site closed earlier this year.

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Rise Christian Church is currently based in Sebastopol, at Ballarat Christian College.

Its website notes regular services in-person are currently suspended, but it has continued posting regular Sunday sermons and other content online.

Rise Christian Church and the building's owner were contacted for comment, but none was received by deadline.

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