Parramatta Powerhouse Museum’s retail, cafe plans criticised

New images of the Parramatta Powerhouse Museum’s expansion plans have been revealed – but not everyone is thrilled, with critics saying the ‘detail in retail’ trumped community concerns.

A communal dining area inside the Powerhouse.

Fresh plans for the Parramatta Powerhouse Museum’s interior expansion – including a major hospitality offering – have been lodged, but heritage advocates haven’t been wined, dined or won over by the changes.

This year, Infrastructure NSW lodged changes for the $915m project with the state government, which proposed more than 300sq m of extra space to house two cafes with 340 and 140 seats on the ground floor and balcony on the banks of the flood-prone Parramatta River.

The controversial museum will stand on the site of the demolished, heritage-listed Victorian mansion Willow Grove.

Use of the museum’s cafes have been proposed from 7am till midnight.

George Livissianis architects designed the dining spaces, which include expanding the 55-seat cinema area to deliver a pre-and-post-function bar for 80 patrons.

Artist's impressions of the Parramatta Powerhouse Museum interior/dining areas.

The 18,000sqm exhibition and public area will remain intact and will house seven major presentation spaces, a film and photography studio, public research library and collaboration spaces plus 30 serviced apartments for researchers, scientists, artists and students and a 56-bed dormitory for students and teachers.

Artist's impressions of a cinema bar.

Save the Willow Grove campaign spokeswoman Suzette Meade slammed the plans, which form part of a state significant development.

“I think it’s really concerning to see millions of dollars of state cultural funding going to 400-plus seat restaurant, facilities and retail fit-outs in what was promised to be Parramatta’s first-ever purpose built museum,’’ she said.

“It doesn’t seem fair that organisations are still waiting for commitment on museum funding at the national heritage-listed Female Factory precinct while the Powerhouse Parramatta is getting funding to add 350sqm of shops and cafes to the project.

“It’s Westfield by the water.’’

The Parramatta Powerhouse has been dubbed ‘Westfield by the water’.

Suzette Meade before construction started on the Powerhouse.

Ms Meade said she was “disappointed” there was more “detail in the retail” for the family museum.

“It’s not like Parramatta is short of places to eat and shop already,’’ she said.

In its submission in April, council said the original plans did not show any capacity for the cafes and the “proposal could have both a physical and social impact to the adjoining residents’’ such as noise hitting Sorrell St apartment dwellers on the opposite side of the river.

“The proposal also fails to include a plan of management which could lead to issues with how the space is operated, especially surrounding the management of liquor and patrons,” Ms Meade said.

“Neither the consent nor the original assessment report considered any of the impacts of the noise, traffic and or cooking emissions that the use of this space would create.’’

It is also noted the changes lacked an assessment of air quality and odour for the proposed solid fuel (charcoal) cooking methods planned, which the council wanted to ensure would not be a “nuisance” for the public.

The Planning Department will next assess the modification.

An Infrastructure NSW spokesman said it was continuing to deliver the museum by state standards.

“The location and extent of the retail component is consistent with what was approved in February 2021 as part of the state significant development application,’’ he said.

“It is usual practice for large developments to have further modification applications made during the design and construction of the project.’’

He said the Powerhouse would be a “must-visit tourism destination in the heart of Parramatta”.

“It will be the leading applied arts and sciences museum in the Southern Hemisphere and is one of the most significant structural engineering and architecturally complex projects underway in Australia.’’

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