Roxy Theatre Action Group | Other

Roxy Theatre Action Group

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22.01.2022 WE NEED YOUR HELP! In December 2019 we reported that the City of Parramatta Council proposed to limit the maximum building height on the Roxy Theatre site to 18 metres. This is a great move by Council to save the Roxy Theatre from high-rise development. The Council's Draft Parramatta CBD Planning Proposal (2020) in which this limit is proposed is now on exhibition and we need to SUPPORT the 18 metres maximum building height on this site. ... We are concerned that others will want to remove this height limitation and try to build a high-rise on the Roxy site again. What is important is that we tell Council that we SUPPORT the maximum building height limit of 18 metres on the Roxy Theatre site and want to see the Roxy restored. It is important that you personalise your response to Council as individual responses carry greater value than a mere copy/paste response. The aim of this group has always been to have the Roxy reopen as a 1,500 seat lyric theatre. This is important - HAVE YOUR SAY BY 5:00 PM MON 2 NOV 2020 At the bottom of the website page below is an Online Submission Form where you can send back your SUPPORT/comments.

20.01.2022 Feedback now required on the Powerhouse Museum development for Parramatta Please put forward your submission opposing the demolition of two local heritage listed buildings - Willow Grove and St George's Terrace for the Powerhouse development. Help support the retention our local heritage that is threatened with demolition. Emailing it to [email protected]... Or writing to The Director, Select Committees, Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000. MAAS submission 25/03/2020 The inclusion of the 1881 Saint Georges row of terraces and the 1869 Willow Grove building, in Phillip St Parramatta, in the design concept for the new MAAS (Powerhouse), is the only outcome that is acceptable to over 13,000 signatures gathered, by people, in a two-week period, on a local petition. We are disappointed to learn that the Government changed the requested criteria in the design process and stated that: the heritage buildings are not to be included. The defence in the Government response, that: ‘designers were asked to consider’ and not ‘directed to include’, is poor word play and a back down. The overall feeling is that a major museum of some type is of extreme importance to Parramatta’s growth and that historic significant buildings should be preserved. The current, milk crate design by Moreau Kusunoki and Genton, falls far short of our desire. It’s an ugly concept of glass, concrete and steel, which is minus the historic soul of Parramatta. The streets will only be good for tumble weeds without our heritage. When agendas of control and limited consultation are pushed ahead of the common good, within Parramatta's back yard, we are in our rights to complain. Why can't the people of Parramatta see the design plans that includes Willow Grove and St George Terrace and be included in the decision process. Those plans should incorporate our past and our story. Please rethink this unwelcome design.

18.01.2022 City of Parramatta Council have been debating their directions for planning in the central business district (CBD) of Parramatta for their last four meeting - two council meetings and two extraordinary general meetings. There are contentions about high-rise development adjacent to heritage conservation areas. But importantly, the heritage controls for the Draft Parramatta CBD Planning Proposal states some exclusions to a Floor Space Ratio of 10:1 in the CDB and one of these ...is the: f. ROXY THEATRE HAS A REDUCED HEIGHT CONTROL OF 18M" (Draft Consolidated Parramatta CBD Planning Proposal - Response to Gateway Determination, Attachment 2, p264) So, that would mean no high rise above the Roxy Theatre!

13.01.2022 It's been quite a while since our last post but we think now is the time to revive our campaign to save the Roxy Theatre and try to bring it back to life as a 1,500 seat lyric theatre! Parramatta is undergoing a great deal of development and we are at the crossroads. Before COVID-19 many Sydneysiders travelled to Melbourne to see blockbuster shows because Sydney is sadly lacking in the number of theatre seats per head of population. We need more theatre seats in Sydney and t...he Roxy Theatre at Parramatta is ideally located to provide them. There were originally plans to redevelop the Riverside Theatres as part of the Parramatta Powerhouse but this came with no guarantee of funding, and it looks like this has now fallen by the wayside. Then came the plans for the Parramatta Powerhouse, a development sold to the community as a building to house the exhibits from the Untimo Powerhouse Museum. But that purpose seems to have changed as the Government has announced the Powerhouse will stay at Ultimo. So where are we now? We definitely need greater arts infrastructure in Parramatta and the Roxy Theatre sadly sits vacant and unloved by the present owner. Minister for the Arts, Don Harwin stated last week that he would like to hear from the community about opportunities that could bridge the arts shortfall in Sydney. Now seems like the time we can rally together to bring the Roxy Theatre back to life with Government support. Write to: The Hon. Don Harwin, MLC Minister for the Arts GPO Box 5341 SYDNEY NSW 2001

11.01.2022 To Rob Stokes NSW Planning Minister Rob, concerned Heritage people had a tour with you around Parramatta a few years back. We tried to show you how important heritage buildings are to the future look of our Cradle City. Brian Powyer's legacy to our city was to respect our story, but it seems that Gladys is going to ignore our calls. Willow Grove and St. George’s terrace are now being considered for demolition. (Per a local paper article). This is despite their, supposed, incl...usion into some of the six architect design plans. We don't want to be told that one design has been chosen, without public consultation, with aresult that destroys our Heritage. So the State can do a deal for more 65 storey buildings, with the big end of town. All we want is fareness and input. Be prepared for a major Parramatta back lash, if this is pushed through over the Xmas break. We are over this Nsw governments destruction of our heritage. See more

09.01.2022 Roxy Theatre Action Group shortlisted for National Trust Heritage Award (Advocacy) Over the past four years members of the Roxy Theatre Action Group have worked towards saving the Roxy Theatre from overdevelopment and to restore it as a world-class 1,500-seat lyric theatre capable of staging blockbuster live shows. Our actions so far have seen the owner’s development application to demolish part of the theatre and build a 30-storey tower cantilevered over the Roxy ultimately... rejected by the Land and Environment Court on heritage grounds. Further, there has been a maximum building height of 18 metres placed on the site in the City of Parramatta Council CBD Planning Proposal. The Group are now shortlisted for a National Trust Heritage Award for their advocacy for the Roxy. It's just two days now until the awards are announced on 12 November 2020. We are delighted that we made the shortlist!