In November 2025, as the Sydney Central City Planning Panel gathered to consider SAP’s development application to deliver 74 social housing units on the site of the former Regents Park Anglican Church, the Senior Minister of the Parish of Regents Park and Berala (which takes in the site), Rev. Mike Doyle, was invited to share his insights on the project. Here is what he said…
G’day. My name is Mike Doyle, and I’m the Senior Minister of the Anglican Parish of Regents Park and Berala. I am a resident of Regents Park. The members of our church live in Regents Park and the surrounding areas.
This is personal for me.
My wife grew up in social housing in Dapto. Her mum was a single mum doing her best, raising kids with almost nothing. They were so dirt poor they couldn’t even afford a phone.
Social housing kept them safe, gave them stability. It gave them a future.
When I speak about this proposal, I’m speaking as someone who knows how life-changing safe, affordable housing can be.
The Anglican Church has served this community for generations. And we want to serve for generations to come.
But our buildings in Regents Park are old, run down, no longer fit for purpose and underutilised. We can’t afford to maintain them. And can’t afford to replace them.
That leaves us with a choice.
One option is to sell the land to a private developer.
And we all know what happens then: the buildings are knocked down, the maximum number of apartments go up at the minimum standard. A small token amount of social housing is included to meet thresholds, and then the developer takes their huge profit and walks away.
The community loses. Permanently. The land is gone forever.
Or — we can choose the project before you today.
A project where every single apartment is social housing.
A project providing housing for women escaping domestic violence and for single women over 55 — one of the fastest-growing groups at risk of homelessness. Yet research consistently shows they have low rates of anti-social behaviour and high levels of neighbourhood stability.
A project that brings this land to life again — not for commercial gain, but for ministry, social good, and the wellbeing of our neighbours.
This proposal responds directly to Sydney’s housing crisis — a crisis so serious that every level of government is calling for solutions. We have heard that call, and we are willing to do our part.
Let me emphasise: There is no profit motive here — just genuine, practical good for the people of Regents Park and Berala.
We are not selling and disappearing. We are not running and dumping.
We have partnered with Anglicare, a trusted not-for-profit provider to ensure long-term presence, long-term care, and long-term support for residents. The Anglican Church is not abandoning Regents Park.
We have a builder who shares our values and is committed to high-quality, community-centric design.
And importantly, this project keeps the land in the hands of the local community, serving the local community — for generations to come.
This proposal is not about buildings. It’s about people — real people. Our mums. Our sisters. Our daughters. People having a safe place to live, and a community that stands with them.
Thank you for your time, for your service, and for your serious consideration of this proposal.