"The church is a focus for calm contemplation and worship by its parishioners," Wellington barrister Trevor Robinson said.

He said it was the church's view that construction activities should stop during services.

"It is difficult to think of a more noise sensitive daytime activity than a church."

He added that "A loss of parking and the presence of large machinery on the site were other potential problems."

St Joseph's church was built less than 10 years ago, after extensive consultation with the then Transit New Zealand, Mr Robinson said.

NZTA now sought to take back some of the land it had transferred to the parish to allow the new church to be built.

"While St Joseph's has had a lengthy and largely cordial consultation with NZTA working through the issues, the church would wish to record that it is disappointed and somewhat aggrieved to be in this position."

NZTA's lawyer Andrew Cameron told the board of inquiry that progress was being made behind the scenes.

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• Image: Wellington scoop

Father Gerard Burns said the parish was still not "completely comfortable" with how the NZ Transport Agency's $90 million project would affect the church on the corner of Brougham and Ellice streets.

The church building itself had been constructed with the noise of the area in mind, he said.

It was likely the flyover would require the church to give up some land on its boundary, which would reduce its car parking, Father Burns said.

In return, the church would seek assurances from the agency that construction noise would not disrupt funerals and Sunday services, he said.

Father Burns said losing car parks would force parishioners to park elsewhere in Mt Victoria and walk to the church, which raised issues around safety.

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