Melbourne’s Palace Theatre being turned into shop units

Popular former Melbourne music venue the Palace Theatre is reportedly being turned into retail units by owners Jinshan Investments.

Property developers Jinshan had been planning to demolish the former live music venue in order to construct a $180 million five star hotel and apartment complex. However, late last year Melbourne City Council halted the development in order to save the historic structure.

However, Melbourne newspaper The Age has reported that Jinshan Investments has received clearance to strip out the theatre to make way for new retail space.

While Jinshan apparently plan to refurbish the facade of the building, work is reportedly underway to strip out its interior and install retail units.

The fight to determine the fate of the Palace Theatre has been going on for more than a year, with Jinshan apparently undertaking unauthorised demolition of the venue’s interiorss late last year.

Subsequent efforts to halt the damage came too late to prevent the venue from being deemed "not worth saving".

In addition to the planned retail space, Jinshan has revised its original plans to build a seven-storey hotel on the site, having raised that figure to 12 storeys in their new submission to the Victorian Civil and Administration Tribunal.

Image: The Palace Theatre operating as live music venue. Credit: Save The Palace support group.

14th February 2015 - CAMPAIGN GROUP REVEALS REBUFFED ATTEMPTS TO SAVE MELBOURNE’S PALACE THEATRE FOR LIVE MUSIC

15th December 2014 - MELBOURNE CITY COUNCIL DENIES DEMOLITION OF PALACE THEATRE

22nd November 2014 - DEMOLITION OF MELBOURNE’S PALACE THEATRE BEGINS WITHOUT PERMIT

26th March 2014 - LIVE MUSIC VENUES THREATENED BY NEW LAWS AND NOISE COMPLAINTS