Marian Street Theatre Killara: plans approved for 400-plus seat, $12 million redevelopment

The stage is set for a major redevelopment of a historic north shore theatre with supporters saying the project will connect the community and revive the local arts scene.

A historic north shore theatre is set to be given a new life with plans for a multimillion-dollar redevelopment given the green light.

The Sydney North Planning Panel has approved Ku-ring-gai Council’s plans to revive the historic Marian Street Theatre in Killara after the building fell into disrepair and closed its doors to live performances nine years ago.

Approved plans for the 115-year-old site include upgrades to the current theatre, a new theatrette, a rehearsal space and a cafe.

A concept plan of the redevelopment

There will also be a new outdoor amphitheatre with 50 seats, and upgrades to Selkirk Park – adjacent to the site – including landscaping works and walking tracks.

The completion of the project will bring live theatre back to the upper north shore after the site’s closure in 2012 due to the dilapidated state of the building,

The theatre had previously been a hub of activity, occupied by the Marian Street Theatre for Young People which held theatre classes, workshops and live shows.

The project will include more than 400 seats for patrons.

Ku-ring-gai Council, which lodged the redevelopment proposal, said the upgrade would cater for both professional artists and emerging talent, contributing to the social interaction and wellbeing of local residents.

Plans show the theatre will be able to open to the public from 7am to 11.30pm, 7 days a week, with key performances generally held on Friday and Saturday nights.

Approximately 2-4 large scale events will also be held per year, and a new community space built as part of the upgrade will be able to be hired for private events such as birthday parties

A concept plan of the project.

Originally budgeted at $10.5 million, the cost has increased to $12.25 million partly due to revised plans to integrate the site into Selkirk Park.

The project would be partly funded from asset sales, including offloading the former Gordon and East Roseville bowling club sites which are currently proposed for residential redevelopment.

But not everyone is on board with the plans, with some submissions raising concerns over parking impacts, traffic congestion, tree removal and overshadowing on neighbouring homes.

The upgrade was approved by the planning panel this week.

One submission added was “no demand for the expensive alterations and additions to the theatre” and it could “threaten the safety of (Killara) by bringing nonresidents into the area”.

In approving the plans, panel members said the project was in the public interest and would bring the century-old facility up to modern standards.

“The development will deliver significant alterations and additions to the theatre, thereby enhancing a valuable community asset,” it said.

“The panel considers the community concerns raised have been adequately addressed.”

The development will breach the 9.5m height limit by 6.7m but the panel said there was “sufficient environmental grounds to justify” the contravention.

The project includes a cafe.

Margie McCrae, the former artistic director of the Marian Street Theatre for Young People, said the redevelopment would cater for local performance groups.

“It can be very challenging for small theatre companies to find affordable venues so having a facility like this for community use will be fantastic. It’s been closed for far too long,” she said.

“The community needs live theatre, not just for people who go off to the theatre to watch the accepted fare – there’s an enormously different community in Ku-ring-gai now from when it was last open – it’s much more diverse and there are so many cultural communities who’ll be able to have access to it.

“It always well supported – for children’s theatre, youth theatre and adult theatre. it was a community hub.”

A Ku-ring-gai Council spokeswoman said a construction date has yet to be finalised.

“The council is progressing the project by preparing detailed designs for construction tender documents,” she said.

“There is currently no timeline set for commencement of construction as the refurbishment of the theatre is reliant on future asset sales.”