The council hearings committee's decision, released this week, granted consent for the 3900sq m religious development on a 7.4ha site in Concord, beside the city's Southern Motorway.
Work was not expected to begin until later next year at the earliest, with plantings in advance and earth bunds among conditions designed to protect neighbours from any negative impacts of the development.
Baptist Church pastor Bruce Elder - one of seven pastors at the church - said when contacted he was "thankful to God" for the council's decision.
"We are just very thankful that we have got resource consent - thankful to God that it's come through," he said.
Once complete, the church would provide a new place of worship for up to 600 members of the Church's two congregations, he said.
It would include a main building with an auditorium, chapel, classrooms, offices, kitchen, gymnasium and child-care facility, as well as nearly 300 car parks needed as part of the development.
The Church did not yet have all the funds for the development, and would not begin construction until it did, Mr Elder said.
The Church would look to "a variety of sources" for funding, and it was possible building could be done in stages.
Plans for the church had drawn opposition from 26 of 29 submitters.
Nearby residents were worried about the impact the building would have on their views, as well as extra traffic and noise from the church.
However, submitters Tony Begg, and Don and Carol Bain said yesterday when contacted they were happy with the decision.
Mr Begg said the hearing was "very fair" and he was satisfied with conditions attached to the consent, particularly a requirement to begin landscaping plantings before construction of the church.
He doubted any submitters planned to lodge appeals in the Environment Court.
In its decision, the hearings committee - comprising Cr Colin Weatherall, as chairman, and Crs Richard Walls and Andrew Noone - spelled out restrictions on noise, to protect neighbours, and changes to landscaping plans to help offset the size of the "large and . . . very noticeable" church.
Among the changes was greater use of evergreens to screen the church during winter months, and plantings to be undertaken within two seasons of the consent being granted.
The committee was also satisfied, based on specialist advice, any geotechnical issues facing the site were no more than minor, following earlier concerns it could be prone to slippage.
Parking would be "more than adequate" and traffic generated by the church would not create safety issues, although "no parking" lines would be painted along the northern side of Main South Rd.
Yesterday, Cr Weatherall said appeals could be lodged for a period of 15 working days, from a day or two after the decision was released.
If none was received, construction of the church could begin in late 2010.
