Parramatta. King's School site

Parramatta City Council will refer to the Department of Planning and Infrastructure a proposal to allow a redistribution of the allowable floor space ratio and height limits on the former King's School site. A portion of land on the north-east corner of the site has been identified for purchase by the Catholic Diocese of Parramatta for the future development of education and community uses in conjunction the church’s adjoining facilities.

Parramatta. $24.6 million upgrade

The historic Old Kings School site in the Parramatta CBD, dating back to 1836, will undergo a $24.6 million makeover – preparing it to become a major arts and education precinct for Western Sydney. The Land and Property Management Authority has negotiated the sale of a part of the site to the adjoining owners, the Parramatta Diocese of the Catholic Church. The land sold to the church represents 12 per cent of the total site – a market value of $5.5 million – as determined by the independent Valuer-General. Proceeds from the sale will be directed to funding the arts precinct. The remainder of the site will be placed in the public reserve system and managed in accordance with the Crown Lands Act 1989. The redevelopment project will create 215 new construction jobs. Parramatta Lord Mayor, John Chedid, welcomed the state government’s decision.

Parramatta. Tustle over site

The Kenneally government is blocking a plan to turn derelict buildings on the old King’s School site, over looking the Parramatta, in the Parramatta CBD into an arts hub backed by Parramatta City Council, after intense lobbying by the Catholic Diocese of Parramatta, which wants the land and buildings, adjacent to St Patrick’s Cathedral, for its own use. The arts hub proposal has the backing of the Planning Minister, Tony Kelly, Arts Minister, Virginia Judge and the Minister for Western Sydney, David Borger. The Diocese of Parramatta has argued the area had “more pressing needs” than an arts centre.

Parramatta. Future of King's site soon

Parramatta City Council Lord Mayor, Clr Paul Garrard, said the state government is expected soon to make a formal announcement on the future of the old King’s School site, facing the Parramatta River in the CBD. He said the site’s future had been a hot topic for council over the past few years as it continued to negotiate with the government on ways to ensure that this important piece of the city’s heritage stayed in the hands of the community and not be sold off to the highest bidder. “If we get the go ahead – and win financial support to restore this key heritage building – our community and creative industries will be considerably enhanced. And the public will gain access to this significant city site,” he said.

Parramatta. King's School 'will be affected'

Dr Tim Hawkes, headmaster, of King’s School, in North Parramatta, expects a fall in students as a result of the economic crisis and the drought. Twenty per cent of the senior students come from country areas and some had already been withdrawn. A tuition and board fee for senior students is $39,757 annually. “We are certainly going to be affected, there is no question of that, but we are reasonably well practiced in helping families in difficulty,” he said in The Financial Review.