The Diocese of Honolulu has purchased a 23-acre parcel in the Leeward area for its newest Catholic church, school and large multipurpose building.

The land is adjacent to the West Loch Golf Course, on Old Fort Weaver Road at Fort Weaver Road.

"This is the biggest growth area in the state," said Tom Papandrew, director of planning for the diocese. "All the churches out there are bursting at the seams, so we know we need to expand our facilities and ministries out there to accommodate the current and projected population growth.

The land was purchased from Aina Nui Corp., an affiliate of the James Campbell Co., for $6 million — "a good price," Papandrew said.

"The property has some entitlement issues," he said. "It'll probably take us three to five years to get to the rezoning and redistricting procedures. We're going to have to raise money in the meantime for the facilities, so that's not a bad thing. We don't have the money to start building."

Preliminary plans call for up to 10 acres of parking, athletic fields and a multi-purpose meeting facility able to seat 2,000 people.

The land had been used as a plant nursery and for other agricultural activities, but is presently undeveloped.

The area is already served by 12 Catholic parishes and 19 priests.

The diocese's two most recently built parishes were established in Leeward O'ahu — St. Jude's in 1999 and Resurrection of the Lord in 1995.

The diocese estimates that there are 56,000 Catholics living in Leeward O'ahu. Diocesan planners project an increase of nearly 22,000 more parishioners there in the next 25 years.

Consideration has also been given to establishing a Catholic high school for the area, though this parcel is too small to be suitable for that, Papandrew said.

"You need about 50 acres for a high school," he said. "We haven't identified another parcel yet that's for sale ... that we can afford."