Central Element’s Minerva Theatre Revival Greenlit

More than two years after filing $70-million plans to transform the Potts Point theatre into a boutique hotel, the project has finally got the go-ahead.

Central Element filed plans for the 63-key five-star boutique hotel in mid-2021, which director Wayne Chivas said would reimagine the inter-war functionalist architecture for a new era.

And they’re no strangers to cultural and heritage restoration in Sydney with an Oxford Street 25Hours Hotel project under way at Paddington.

TZG Architects were appointed to reimagine the heritage-listed building, which will rise to six storeys, with additional height centred around the fly tower.

▲ The Minerva at Potts Point pictured in 1947. The heritage features of the building will be restored as part of the redevelopment.

The $70-million project would also comprise entertainment spaces and retention of heritage elements, including the entertainment auditorium.

The project won approval at a meeting of the Central Sydney Planning Committee on Thursday night.

A spokesman for Central Element said the developer had been granted approval for the “revitalisation of the historic former theatre, The Minerva, in Potts Point”.

“The Minerva stands as a testament to [our] dedication with what has been an enduring three-year approval process,” he said.

“[We have] invested substantial time and resources to reintegrate The Minerva into the rich tapestry of Potts Point, with plans to transform the heritage art deco building into a vibrant new hotel, entertainment, and dining destination.”

Hundreds of submissions were received against the project, however City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the proposal had been subject to rigorous scrutiny.

The council had deferred its planning decision this year in the face of significant pressure from the local community.