Parramatta Roxy Theatre: Court rejects $96m tower redevelopment plan

A court has rejected plans to redevelop Parramatta’s historic Roxy Theatre into a tower development. The owner now hopes to revamp it as the premier pub and entertainment venue in Sydney’s west.

Plans to revamp the Roxy Theatre into a cultural leisure facility with office towers has been rejected by a court today.

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The iconic Roxy Theatre is set to be revived as one of Sydney’s premier pubs after plans for a $96 million tower redevelopment were rejected by the Land and Environment Court on Thursday.

Commissioner Susan O’Neill dismissed a legal challenge by the K Capital Group to get a 33-storey “leisure and cultural facility” built, following a three-day hearing earlier this month.

“I have determined that the extent of demolition proposed by the concept proposal would have an unacceptable detrimental impact on the heritage significance of the Roxy Theatre,” Ms O’Neill said in her judgement.

It came after Parramatta Council, the Heritage Council of NSW and the Sydney Central Planning Panel had each rejected the plan last year for the mixed-use tower over The Roxy’s 1930s facade.

The rejected Roxy redevelopment would have seen a tower above its historic facade.

Roxy owner David Kingston said he was “relaxed” with today’s ruling and would now look at relaunching the Roxy — which has been closed since 2014 — as the west’s premier pub-cum-entertainment venue.

“Commissioner O’Neill has made a decision against the tower option, and I’m relaxed with that view,” Mr Kingston told the Advertiser.

“It was one of two financially viable options for us, so we’ll reactive the Roxy as a 24-hour pub/pokies/nightclub venue, which we already have approvals for.

“I believe the community would have been better off with the five-level cultural leisure facility, but this other option allows us to have 2380 people at the Roxy and I can see us being the dominate hotel in the west.”

Inside the Roxy Theatre.

Historically significant: The Roxy back in the 1930s.

He said the Roxy had been “waiting for Parramatta to grow” before it was rejuvenated.

“And that time is now,” Mr Kingston, who has owned the Roxy since 2002, said. “Parramatta Square will soon open, bringing thousands of more people here; the light rail is on the way; and the plans for the Civic Link — which we’ll have 80m of frontage to — are moving forward.

“The Roxy is about the equal largest hotel in Sydney — and I can only see a bright future for it as Parramatta grows.”

Western Sydney Business Chamber executive director David Borger encouraged Mr Kingston to “bring the beat back” to a refurbished Roxy.

“It would be a great tragedy if the Roxy isn’t reopened as a live music venue,” Mr Borger said.

“The State Government needs to get into conversations with the owner so the theatre space can be better used.

“This is a venue coming from the golden era of Hollywood and it’s better than a pub barn. It really is a great chance to bring the beat back to Parramatta, which desperately needs a better live music scene.”

The Roxy redevelopment plans, which were rejected by a court today. Any future upgrade will still have 80m of frontage to the Civic Link, a walkway which is set to extend across four blocks in the heart of the Parramatta CBD.

National Trust of Australia (NSW) president Brian Powyer welcomed the verdict today, saying it was important the heritage laws were upheld.

“I argued in my submission to the court that if this tower proposal got through, it would have put the whole heritage process at risk,” he said.

“Any demolition of the Roxy would have smacked legislation in the face.”

Mr Powyer called on Mr Kingston to engage in talks about the Roxy’s future with the National Trust, NSW Government and Parramatta Council to develop it into a “mainstream” live theatre.

However, Mr Kingston said that as the site’s owner, he reserved the right to move forward with the existing approvals for the Roxy.

“I respect the rule of law in the country, but I’m a businessman and I will proceed down the most financially viable option,” he said.

Parramatta Council also welcomes the court’s decision to dismiss the K Capital Group’s appeal.

“We would like to recognise the Office of Environment and Heritage for its contribution in defending this appeal,” a council spokeswoman said.

“Council recognises the significance of the Roxy Theatre as a key heritage item for Parramatta and NSW, and expects any future use of the site to be sympathetic to its state heritage status.”

The Roxy — which has five heritage listings at national, state and local levels — was a cinema in the 1930s and later went on to become a restaurant, nightclub and entertainment venue before shutting in 2014.