A new Development Application has been lodged with Parramatta Council to transform the iconic Roxy Theatre building into a restaurant precinct.
Under the plans, the Roxy Theatre’s rear services zone would be demolished, with any items of heritage value to be retained, to make way for the construction of a new three-storey contemporary addition.
The new addition would contain rehearsal, offices and back of house facilities, as well as a new café/bar facing Macquarie Lane – where one of the entrances to the future Metro West station will be.
It also proposes the total renovation of the former nightclub to make way for a new restaurant and bar, with the eastern and western arcades fronting George Street to become new cafes.
The Statement of Environmental Effects (SEE) said the proposed works seek to further enhance the Roxy Theatre.
“The National Trust has raised concerns over the years regarding the state of the building and advocated restoration works and to make The Roxy once again a place for Parramatta’s showpiece entertainment venue and a cultural icon,” it said.
“The proposal seeks to do exactly as mentioned above, through extensive restoration, refurbishment works and additions for the re-use of The Roxy for entertainment, cultural and social purposes.
“The development will provide a restored auditorium alongside restaurants, bars and cafés to revitalise the iconic architecture and venue.”
According to the planning documents, the auditorium’s tiered stalls, dress circle and decorative elements will all be retained and incorporated into the new design.
All non-original seating in the auditorium will be replaced, with an extended opening to access the gallery and a new stage fit-out also proposed for the historic building.
The planned restaurants, bars and cafes intend to provide an active frontage to Parramatta’s planned $10.6 million Civic Link and Metro West.
“The ground floor level will provide adequate street activation through the provision of outdoor seating on the new envisioned Civic Link and [the] south façade is proposed to be opened up to the new metro station entry,” the SEE said.
Director Conservation at the National Trust (NSW) David Burdon welcomed the proposal to revitalise the Roxy – but said they would also like to see the return of key historic features.
“The National Trust supports the most recent proposal to return the building to an entertainment venue,” he said.
“In order for the theatre to truly be a rival, the National Trust propose that the design for the Roxy include the reinstatement of the original proscenium arch, stalls and stage area which were a key feature of the building’s original spectacular interior.”
The George Street building, which is listed on the NSW State Heritage Register as an item of State Significance, first opened in Parramatta in 1930. It has remained closed since 2014.
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations. In 2024, Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.