VIDEO: Old Wests Carport Demolished to Make Way for Twin-Tower Apartment Project

24 March 2025

Watch Video: https://www.facebook.com/newy878/videos/1300514307691604

The familiar curved-roof carport next to Wests City in Newcastle West has been demolished, clearing the way for construction of two residential towers.

The site, which spans 32 Union Street and 124–126 Bull Street, has long served as a car park used by visitors to the club and local workers. Demolition of the carport structure began earlier this year, marking the end of an era for a location with decades of community use.

The block sits adjacent to Wests City, formerly the Newcastle Workers Club, a venue deeply connected to Newcastle’s working-class history and famously damaged in the 1989 earthquake. Over the years, the car park became a well-known local feature, offering convenient off-street parking in a busy part of the city.

The site is now being redeveloped by Newcastle-based developer GWH, which plans to build a large residential complex named ERA Newcastle. The development will feature two towers, one rising 15 storeys and the other 14, with a combined total of 281 apartments. Construction is expected to continue through to 2027.

ERA was originally proposed by Wests Group, which purchased the combined club and car park site for $19 million in 2015. A development application for the site was approved in 2021, allowing for residential and aged care towers. However, in 2022, Wests listed the land for sale. GWH later acquired the property and submitted updated plans, adjusting tower heights and unit types.

GWH has confirmed that the project will include a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, as well as landscaped podium gardens, rooftop skygardens, a pool, gym, and communal facilities. A portion of the development had originally been designated for seniors’ housing, though current plans focus on residential use. Ground floor spaces may be used for commercial or retail purposes.

The location, close to light rail and harbourfront areas, places ERA within Newcastle’s broader CBD revitalisation zone. No major objections to the development have been reported, though some locals have noted the loss of parking in an already constrained area.

A Site with a Long History

The land’s history is closely linked to the Newcastle Workers Club, which opened in 1948 as a major social and political centre for the city’s union movement. The 1989 earthquake caused extensive damage to the original building, with the collapse resulting in nine deaths. A new club building opened in 1992 on the corner of King and Union Streets.

Since then, the adjacent car park block remained mostly open, with the carport shelter becoming a practical fixture for club patrons, tradespeople, and office workers. Many Novocastrians will remember it as a rare spot to find free or easy parking in the west end.

In 2001, the club was taken over by Panthers, and in 2015, Wests Group acquired the club and car park, announcing redevelopment plans a few years later. The block is one of the larger, empty, privately held parcels of land in Newcastle West.