Two Newcastle Councillors To Introduce Motion To Withdraw Basketball Stadium Support

NOTE: This article will be updated at the end of tonight’s council meeting, so return back here for the latest.

Article Updated 29/10/2024 at 4:48pm – Sorry we forgot to include community concerns, this has now been added.
Article Updated again at 5:17pm – To Include more information from Newcastle basketball.

A motion introduced by Councillors Mark Brooker and Sinead Francis-Coan to withdraw support for the Hunter Indoor Sports Centre at Wallarah and Blackley Ovals has sparked a divisive debate within the Newcastle community. While Newcastle Basketball argues the project is essential for the region’s sports future, many residents and local groups have raised concerns over potential loss of green space, increased traffic, flood risks, and impacts on other sporting and community activities.

The Wallarah and Blackley Ovals in New Lambton, currently used by junior cricket and football clubs as well as Lambton High School, are at the heart of the dispute. For years, these fields have served as key green spaces for residents and youth sports programs, despite issues with drainage that can render them unusable after heavy rains. Community members fear the proposed indoor sports centre would irreversibly alter the character of the area by eliminating one of the last remaining open spaces in New Lambton and limiting accessibility for other sports and community activities.

Community Concerns: Loss of Green Space and Local Access

The prospect of repurposing Wallarah and Blackley Ovals for an indoor sports facility has raised serious concerns over the loss of accessible green space. Currently, these ovals provide vital recreational grounds for various community groups, including local soccer and cricket clubs, which use the fields for training and junior competitions. The New Lambton area has few large, publicly accessible open spaces, and residents argue that converting these fields into an indoor complex would deprive the community of crucial outdoor activity areas that support health and well-being.

Councillor Brooker acknowledged these concerns in a recent statement, explaining his reluctance to “concrete over” green spaces that have historically served the community. He and Councillor Francis-Coan are advocating for alternative site options that would preserve the ovals and avoid displacing existing users.

Further, some residents have pointed out that the City of Newcastle’s 2020 Sports Strategy did label Wallarah and Blackley Ovals as “surplus to the city’s needs” due to underuse, poor drainage, and a lack of full-sized fields. However, critics argue that these issues could be remedied through targeted improvements rather than redevelopment, maintaining the area’s recreational value for local youth sports and casual community use.

Traffic, Flooding, and Environmental Impact

Beyond concerns over green space, residents have voiced fears about increased traffic and congestion on Turton Road and nearby residential streets. The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) submitted by Newcastle Basketball attempts to address this by proposing a left-turn-only entry and exit system and coordinating parking with McDonald Jones Stadium to manage congestion during large events. However, local residents remain sceptical, worrying that increased vehicle flow will affect school drop-off times and daily commutes, particularly with Lambton High School located nearby.

Flooding is another significant concern. Although the current ovals already experience drainage issues, the proposed development would add large buildings, parking areas, and hard surfaces, potentially exacerbating water runoff and flood risks. Newcastle Basketball’s design includes flood mitigation measures to manage excess water, but residents fear that any changes to the land’s natural absorption could impact nearby properties, especially during extreme weather events.

Mixed Reactions from Local Sporting Associations

While Newcastle Basketball has received formal letters of support from both the Newcastle District Cricket Association and the Newcastle Football Association, indicating they believe relocation could benefit their members with upgraded facilities and floodlighting, some community members question whether these organisations fully represent the broader recreational interests of the area. The relocation plan for cricket and soccer is based on the assumption that upgraded fields elsewhere will meet community needs, but there is concern over whether these new sites will be as accessible and convenient for New Lambton residents.

Lambton High School, which frequently uses Wallarah and Blackley Ovals for sports and physical education, has also expressed mixed feelings about the project. Newcastle Basketball’s proposal includes a 4,500m² green space adjacent to the school’s covered outdoor learning area (COLA), intended to provide ongoing outdoor access for students. However, parents and teachers have raised concerns about whether this smaller green space can replace the expansive fields currently available to the school. Additionally, while two of the indoor courts have been earmarked for school use during the day, the school community remains apprehensive about losing traditional outdoor sports areas.

Broader Community Frustration Over Decision-Making Process

Some residents feel that the decision-making process surrounding the Hunter Indoor Sports Centre has lacked transparency, particularly in relation to exploring alternative sites. Newcastle Basketball has stated it spent nearly $1 million since 2019 investigating multiple sites across Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, ultimately concluding that Wallarah and Blackley Ovals were the only viable option. However, community members argue that other potential sites, including locations within existing sports precincts, were not thoroughly considered or made accessible for public discussion.

Councillor Brooker’s motion requests that the City of Newcastle formally communicate its withdrawal of in-principle support for the current site and initiates a broader consultation with surrounding councils, such as Lake Macquarie and Port Stephens, to investigate alternative locations. This reflects a call from local residents to expand the search for a new site, potentially exploring options that would avoid disrupting current users of Wallarah and Blackley Ovals and distribute regional sporting infrastructure more evenly across the Hunter.

Newcastle Basketball’s Position and Concerns Over Funding Loss

Newcastle Basketball has expressed strong concerns that withdrawing support for the Wallarah and Blackley Ovals site would risk losing state funding allocated to the project. The organisation warns that any delays in securing an approved location could lead to funding withdrawal, given that milestone deadlines are built into the funding agreement. Without this financial support, Newcastle would face challenges in securing the resources needed to establish a modern indoor sports facility for the 10,000+ members who currently rely on indoor courts.

The organisation also highlights that their current facility in Broadmeadow will be vacated in 2028 due to the site’s redevelopment for housing, part of the NSW Government’s Broadmeadow Place Strategy. As the search for an alternative site continues, Newcastle Basketball worries that the delay would leave thousands of residents without a place for basketball, volleyball, pickleball, and other sports. The Hunter Indoor Sports Centre, they argue, is an essential investment in local sports infrastructure that will serve not only basketball but also diverse groups in need of accessible, inclusive facilities.

Newcastle Basketball’s Position

Newcastle Basketball argues that the proposed Hunter Indoor Sports Centre would provide substantial health and social benefits for the entire Hunter Region. Unlike outdoor facilities, an indoor sports complex can accommodate year-round usage and serve multiple sports and community events, regardless of weather. The group notes that, on a per-square-metre basis, indoor facilities can accommodate up to ten times the activity of outdoor spaces, making them a highly efficient use of land for community benefit. Additionally, the facility is designed to promote inclusivity, providing accessible spaces for women’s sports, disability sports, and multicultural groups, fostering community cohesiveness and connectivity.

The proposed centre is not solely for basketball; it is envisioned as a multi-sport and community hub. The Hunter Indoor Sports Centre would include facilities for volleyball, pickleball, futsal, badminton, and cheerleading, filling a critical gap in Newcastle’s indoor sports infrastructure. Furthermore, Newcastle Basketball emphasises that the facility has been designed to cater to all abilities, including Newcastle Falcons Wheelchair Basketball Team. The centre would also host allied health suites, a gym, movement studios, social spaces, and multipurpose function rooms, making it a versatile resource for various community needs.

Newcastle Basketball also points out that significant planning and financial resources have already been invested in developing the current proposal. The organisation has spent nearly $1 million in the past five years on investigations and planning assessments, which included collaboration with City of Newcastle. The extensive studies, which addressed concerns from environmental impacts to traffic management, have been factored into the SSDA submission to ensure that the facility is as minimally disruptive as possible. Restarting this process would not only be costly but would risk the current state funding allocation, potentially stalling Newcastle’s only realistic opportunity for a new, modern sports centre for years.

The organisation highlights the broad base of support for the project, with over 2,000 people signing petitions in favour of the development, and formal endorsements from community stakeholders, including various state and local sports organisations. Newcastle Basketball believes that this level of community support reflects the urgent need for a new indoor sports facility that can sustain the region’s growing demand for indoor sports. The proposed development is seen as a unique, “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity to secure a modern facility that meets the diverse needs of Newcastle’s sports and recreational community for decades to come.

Next Steps: Awaiting Council Decision and Public Review

The motion to withdraw support will be put to a vote tonight, with significant implications for Newcastle’s future sports landscape. If the Council endorses the motion, Newcastle Basketball may be forced to restart its site search, with potential delays jeopardising the project’s funding and timeline. Additionally, the SSDA review, now before an Independent Planning Panel, provides an opportunity for public submissions, allowing all community voices to be considered in the final decision.

Councillor Brooker hopes for a balanced solution that respects both the needs of Newcastle Basketball and the broader community. “This is about ensuring that any new facility works for everyone, preserving green spaces while supporting indoor sports. We owe it to the community to explore all options.”

We’ll update this article tonight following the council meeting…….

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