ROXY THEATRE ACTION GROUP WINS NATIONAL TRUST AWARD
12th November 2020
The Roxy Theatre Action Group has won the Advocacy Award in the 2020 National Trust Awards Ceremony held online today.
In announcing the Award, presenter Fenella Kernebone said:-
“The group’s efforts to save this important Spanish Mission-style theatre have been vindicated by recent planning decisions, and its work to date has gone a long way towards ensuring that this important piece of Parramatta’s built heritage can be saved for future generations”.
In accepting this award, spokesperson Cheryl Bates said:-
“The Roxy is unique to Australia as a theatre building and is subject to five major heritage listings, making it a unique, important and irreplaceable heritage building, not only for Parramatta, but to the nation. The Roxy Theatre Action Group was formed with the goal to save the Roxy from over-development and for it to be restored with full stage facilities.
By 2018 the owner had sought to part-demolish and erect a 33 storey office tower cantilevered over the Roxy. This development was rejected by the Council, the Heritage Council and the Regional Planning Panel, and a subsequent appeal to the Land and Environment Court was rejected on heritage grounds.
The Roxy remains unoccupied in private ownership, but the Group continues to make representations to Government to acquire this iconic theatre and return it as a world-class venue.”