197 Church Street Receives DA Approval

We’re pleased to share that 197 Church Street, Parramatta received DA approval in late 2025, marking a major milestone for a project first awarded through a national design competition in 2021.

Located at the heart of Parramatta’s civic core, the precinct plays a defining role in connecting Parramatta Square, Church Street, key transport infrastructure and the Parramatta River. Nearly five years on, the original vision has evolved into a 50,000 sqm mixed-use development comprising heritage spaces, retail, public domain, Parramatta’s first 5-star hotel, and a 30,000 sqm A-Grade commercial tower.

Our winning concept, recognised by Bob Nation, Kim Crestani and Adam Haddow, was shaped by a strong Connection to Country narrative. As one of the earliest NSW design competitions to adopt this framework, the approach resulted in a design that is deeply and authentically connected to place. Guided by four core principles, Travel Lines, the Urban Grid, Layering and Placemaking, the ideas informed both the architecture and the project’s path through complex heritage, infrastructure and approval processes.

Delivered within an exceptionally constrained site, the project required careful coordination around Parramatta Light Rail, Sydney Metro tunnels beneath the site, and the discovery of nationally significant archaeological remains. Each layer demanded innovative thinking, close collaboration and rigorous testing to responsibly balance heritage protection, infrastructure sensitivity and future development potential.

We look forward to sharing more on the design thinking, heritage strategies and collaborative approaches that helped bring this important civic precinct to approval.