CASTLE ROCK, Colo. -- After nearly three years of wrangling, Church of the Rock won approval to expand on 53 acres the church owns, according to a news report in the Denver Post.

The Castle Rock Town Council approved a plan to annex and rezone the land, allowing the church to build a sanctuary with up to 1,200 seats, a school and office facilities. The projected cost is about $7 million, with a first phase of 43,000 square feet. Eventually, the project will encompass 75,000 square feet.

The church originally sought approval for a more ambitious plan that included housing and assisted-living facilities. That plan was reject in February 2002.

Opponents of the expansion feared Church on the Rock would become a megachurch, drawing much more traffic into neighboring subdivisions. They were only partly placated when the church agreed to a number of parking, lighting and traffic conditions imposed by the council, the newspaper reported.

"We're disappointed, but this was inevitable," said George Jackson Jr., a member of The Meadows Homeowners Association, which opposed the expansion.

The Rev. J.R. Polhemus, senior pastor, was elated by the council action.

"This has been a long process that has taken lots of patience, and I can't tell you how eager we are to move forward," he said. "We're extremely crowded in our present location, but we made a lot of concessions because we still want to be a blessing to this community and not an adversary."