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Carnes Hill aquatic centre a step closer despite architecture firm collapse

Council evaluates design work as Brewster Hjorth Architects enters liquidation

By LineZotpaper
Published
Updated
Read Time1 min
Sources4 outlets
The long-awaited $62 million Carnes Hill aquatic and recreation centre in Sydney's south-west is moving forward, though uncertainty lingers after the architecture firm that designed it entered voluntary liquidation, Liverpool City Council has confirmed.

Residents of Carnes Hill, a rapidly growing suburb about eight kilometres west of Liverpool, have been promised the facility since 2022. Liverpool City Council contracted Brewster Hjorth Architects to design the centre until the company, recommended by the NSW government, entered voluntary liquidation.

Acting chief executive Peter Scicluna said staff were blindsided by the collapse. "Just over a month ago we were told on a Monday the firm would cease operations on Friday," he said. "At the moment, we are in the process of evaluating the work completed and what gaps exist."

Scicluna said it was too early to determine whether the firm's collapse would affect the timeframe or cost to deliver the pool. The architecture firm also designed the $122 million North Sydney Olympic Pool, the $65 million soon-to-be-completed Willoughby Leisure Centre and the $44 million Ashfield Aquatic Centre.

Despite the setback, the project remains a priority for the council, which expects to finalise its assessment of the design documentation before deciding on next steps.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • Residents of a booming south-west Sydney suburb have been waiting since 2022 for promised aquatic facilities.
  • The collapse of a major public-pool architecture firm could lead to cost increases or further delays for Carnes Hill and other projects.
  • Council ratepayers may bear any additional expenses if a new architect must be hired or designs revised.

Background

Carnes Hill is a fast-growing residential area west of Liverpool. Liverpool City Council committed to building an aquatic and recreational centre there several years ago, contracting Brewster Hjorth Architects for the design. The firm was a NSW government-recommended supplier and had designed several high-profile aquatic centres across Sydney. Its sudden voluntary liquidation left the council scrambling to assess how much of the work was completed and what would need to be redone or extended.

Key Perspectives

Liverpool City Council: Focused on evaluating the existing design work and finding a path forward, but unable yet to say whether the collapse will push back the timeline or raise the budget. Local residents: Have been promised the pool since 2022 and are likely growing impatient as the project stalls again. Taxpayers and ratepayers: Concerned about potential cost blowouts if the council must re-tender the design contract or if the project's scope changes.

What to Watch

  • The council's formal assessment of what design gaps exist and how long it will take to fill them.
  • Any revised cost estimates or timeline announcements in the coming months.
  • Whether other Brewster Hjorth projects, such as North Sydney Olympic Pool, face similar uncertainty.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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