Hunter Indoor Sports Centre (HISC)

I live across the road from this new Development, on the corner of Henderson St & Monash Rd, and will be directly impacted by this monstrosity.
1/ Traffic Chaos - Turton Rd is already bumper to bumper every day, all daytime and evening hours. The extra traffic using, entering and exiting Turton Rd will become unmanageable with people choosing to try and avoid this chaos by taking local suburban roads, e.g. Monash Rd, Young Rd, Orlando Rd and Wallarah Rd. These roads were not built to take this high demand traffic use.
2/ Entering and exiting the Development - there appears to be one way in and one way out via Turton Rd. I have addressed the traffic chaos in point one. However, there is speculation that there may be an exit point built between the fence lines of Lambton High School and Arthur Edden Oval onto Womboin Rd. Womboin Rd is a small suburban road, not built to take on the departure of large vehicles and numerous cars. The land is narrow and has beautiful old gum tree's that are home to native wildlife and birds, including an owl family. Removal of these trees would be devastating to these inhabitants.
3/ Parking - Mc Donald Jones Stadium and the Newcastle International Hockey stadium host events all year round. The parking in our local streets during a Newcastle Knights Rugby League game, a Newcastle Jets Soccer game, a large fixture at the Hockey Centre, or, a major event at the Stadium, e.g. Elton John, Paul McCartney etc already creates illegal parking in our small suburban streets with people blocking driveways and parking too close to the corners. The no. of car spaces allocated for this new development will not cater to the no. of people that will use this development, leaving the patrons to also join the overcrowded parking on our streets.
4/ Flooding - I was impacted by the 2007 "Pasha Bulka" Storm with my car written off and two feet of water through my home. The greenspace around my home was a huge reason why the water levels did not get any higher than what they were. This Development will see the loss of all this greenspace, putting myself, my pets, my home and my belongings at risk.
5/ Developing Wallarah and Blackley Ovals - these parks are used by several sporting clubs and families constantly. They are also used by several species of parrots, herons, plovers and ducks, nesting here year after year. Loss of these ovals would be detrimental to the physical and mental health of all that use them.
6/ Lambton High School - these 2 ovals are the only expansive green space the school has. The ovals are used during every break in class with children out playing games. The High School also uses these ovals for their emergency evacuations. There would be no place for the children to play, or a safe area for the children to evacuate too if these ovals are developed.
7a/ Emergency Vehicles - Fire and Rescue NSW, and, Lambton Fire Station have a central hub on the corner of Young Rd and Norah Rd. The vehicles often use Turton Rd to respond to an emergency. With extra traffic, delays in arriving at these emergencies could ensue.
b/ Emergency vehicles responding to an incident at the new Development, or the Football Stadium, or the Hockey Centre could be impacted by the traffic chaos, parking and single entry/exit point into and caused by the new Development.
8/ Lighting - the external lighting on this development may impact the mental health of residents as it would be on every night.

I am writing to object to this proposal. All my reasons are related to the site chosen for the development. A much better site would be within the Hunter park sporting precinct being proposed by the NSW State government.

Please note my concerns:
Loss of greenspace for sporting groups, Lambton high and the local community
Sporting groups
• information has been inaccurately reported that these ovals are underutilized. The Newcastle council sports plan that states this, was written in 2020 during Covid when sports were not being played. This information is incorrect
• it has been said these grounds have poor lighting and amenities. Significant money was invested into these ovals 7 years ago by Newcastle football and there are at least 6 working floodlights and near new amenities. This amenity block houses one of the only female friendly changerooms at Newcastle sports grounds
• both cricket and soccer are played on these ovals all year round every weekend. Where will these games be reassigned to? At the moment the other nearby ovals of Novocastrian park and Regent st park get reallocated to Wallarah and Blackley during times of washout as these ovals have superior drainage
Lambton high
• as a mother whose children went to Lambton HS I am aware of the use these ovals get from the 1200 enrolled students for PDHPE, a place for lunch and recess breaks, special event days like Colour runs and Cross country and the ovals are the schools emergency evacuation point. Pg 56 of the Community engagement report says the high school will have “significant access to the HISC… to support the delivery of curriculum. Lambton HS will also be able to access nearby sporting fields. I question how the curriculum, which includes throwing events (javelin discuss), multiple football events (soccer, AFL, touch, grid iron) and t-ball, soft ball can be accommodated in an indoor sports centre? I am also disappointed by the blaze’ “they can walk to other ovals” idea as this will eat into the children’s lesson time, will require a lot of extra organization for already stretched teachers and put children at risk as they will need to cross roads. Currently the students walk out a back gate onto the ovals during lunch and recess breaks. They will lose this luxury and require 2 teachers to walk them to an oval further away – will this happen if the teachers are feeling stressed and time poor?
Local community
• I drive past the ovals daily and have started to notice other community members walking dogs, flying kites, playing frisbee, kids running around freely. Is it ok to remove a free public green space and replace it with a user pays huge box? Access to green space is important for mental health and wellbeing.


Traffic congestion and parking concerns
Traffic
• As a regular commuter in this area I am very aware of the daily traffic congestion on Turton rd and the narrow residential side streets. I am very worried about the left turn in and left turn out of the complex on Turton rd. This is going to cause traffic mayhem as people attempt to enter and exit the stadium. There are traffic lights on either side of the proposed entry ways which will see traffic queuing to get in and out of the stadium. The EIS mentions the peak times for basketball use will be 4pm-8pm weekdays where they expect 500 visitors per hour – this coincides with people using this busy road to commute home. The traffic assessment done has not taken this into account as the numbers are much lower.
• I am concerned that the data provided in the Traffic intersection report is inaccurate as the cameras were erected during a known weather event that saw 77m of rain fall – people were being made aware of a severe weather warning as the cameras were being erected. The rain meant all games of soccer were cancelled that weekend, the Knights had their smallest crowd of only 9000 (compared to an average 16,000), people were advised to stay home so of course the numbers were low.
There were multiple inaccuracies in the report pg 8 see below:
• Turton Road North RT: Queue in right turn cannot be verified due to camera coverage limitations
▪ Turton Road South: Queue in through turn cannot be verified due to limitations of camera set-up
▪ Young Road West: The queues could not be verified due to camera setup angle camera set-up. Turton Road / Lambton Road / Bridges Road
▪ Lambton Road East: The right turn queues could not be verified due to camera setup angle camera
Parking
Parking in this area is always busy on days team sports are on the oval, when there are events at McDonald Jones stadium and when hockey is on. The streets around the ovals – Gloucester, Rex, Duke, Marina, Henderson and Hitchcock are narrow streets that, when cars are parked on either side of the road become one way. These streets all run off Monash rd. For basketball patrons coming from the North, West and East they will not be able to turn right into the stadium so will likely go to the streets around Monash rd and park and enter the stadium via the footbridge. When cars who have entered from the south go to depart, they can only turn to the north so will weave back through all of these streets.
There are only 220 car parking spots yet the operational report tells us there are expected to be
• 500-800 in attendance every week between March – September at Waratah league games
• 1000-1700 in attendance every 3rd week (16 per annum) April- August NBL1 games
• This is on top of the 22.000 attendees spread over the week year round
Where will they park? The event management plan suggests there are 900 available spots at McDonald Jones stadium as an overflow however, this fails to take into the planned rezoning of this carpark into E2 commercial centre with buildings up to 50m tall as part of the Broadmeadow place strategy – see rezoning of stadium forecourt. https://shared-drupal-s3fs.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/master-test/fapub_pdf/Explanation+of+Intended+Effect+(rezoning+plan).pdf

Budget report
I was very concerned to read the cost of the full build is more than $90 million dollars. This is a lot of money, but more concerning is the fact they don’t have anywhere near that amount. Where will another $60 million come from? What vital services – hospitals, police, ambos could be using this money to help thousands of people? How can it be considered reasonable to spend this kind of money on 5,500 basketball players? It seems very unreasonable to me and as a tax payer not something I support.
Newcastle basketball should have used their $30 million to build 6-8 courts. They could have allowed children to keep playing in other stadiums as all sports do. The entertainment centre rebuild included in the Broadmeadow place strategy will easily have space for crowds to watch a basketball match. They have over capitalized by trying to ask for too much. Unfortunately, this, and their complete lack of care or consultation with residents and other users of the ovals has been to their detriment. Local media have been covering the distress of residents for over 6 months. I have signed a petition that has over 1500 signatures. People do not want this here for these reasons and many others not mentioned including, lighting concerns, visual impact, displacement of wildlife.
Please consider rejecting this proposal in this location. The detrimental effect it will have on so many people is greater than the reward it will provide to a minority community of basketball patrons

Newcastle needs this development. This project has enormous potential to promote a number of sports and a healthy lifestyle in Newcastle. The current site is an appropriate solution and will utilize a centrally located area that is poorly utilized. I support this development!

What impact will the Hunter Indoor Sports Complex have on Lambton High School?

Lambton High School has had a formal agreement to use Wallarah and Blackley ovals for teaching, sport and play since the school first opened. It has paid fees to Council to use these ovals during this time. If the proposal to build a basketball and indoor sports centre on the two ovals goes ahead, the School will lose all access to the ovals and the greenspace will be gone.

Some of the impacts on the school will be:
1. No more use or access to the oval for school activities such as:
• Classes and lessons for subjects such as Personal Development Health & Physical Education (PDHPE), Lifestyle and Recreation (SLR)
• School sport – cricket, soccer, AFL, rugby league, cross country running
• Emergency evacuation area
• Lunch time and recess free play
• Activities and fun days such as the Colour Run
2. Additional work for teachers that want or need to use an oval or open space as they will need to:
• Get special permission to take students off school grounds
• Do additional risk planning to take students off the school grounds and to cross roads
• Have two staff to take students off school grounds
• Provide additional support for students with mobility challenges
3. Additional costs for traveling to alternative venues
4. Shorter times for learning or sports as time will need to be spent traveling 10min walk to and from the other local ovals, equals 20min less for each period.
5. Fewer free options for school sport
6. Less physical activity for students at lunch and recess
7. Less space for students at lunch and recess, potentially more conflict and less play options
8. Not able to kick any balls during lunch and recess
9. Reduced fitness for students
10. Increase traffic around the school at key times, in Young Road, Turton Road and other back streets
11. Noise and vibrations from construction over many years (due to multi-stage development)

Some of the impacts on Lambton High school will be:
1. No more use or access to the oval for school activities such as:
• Classes and lessons for subjects such as Personal Development Health & Physical Education (PDHPE), Lifestyle and Recreation (SLR)
• School sport – cricket, soccer, AFL, rugby league, cross country running
• Emergency evacuation area
• Lunch time and recess free play
• Activities and fun days such as the Colour Run
2. Additional work for teachers that want or need to use an oval or open space as they will need to:
• Get special permission to take students off school grounds
• Do additional risk planning
• Have two staff to take students off school grounds
• Provide additional support for students with mobility challenges
3. Additional costs for traveling to alternative venues
4. Shorter times for learning or sports
5. Fewer free options for school sport
6. Less physical activity for students at lunch and recess
7. Less space for students at lunch and recess
8. Not able to kick any balls during lunch and recess
9. Reduced fitness for students
10. Increase traffic around the school at key times
11. Noise and vibrations

What impact will the Hunter Indoor Sports Complex have on Lambton High School?
Lambton High School has had a formal agreement to use Wallarah and Blackley ovals for teaching, sport and play since the school first opened. It has paid fees to Council to use these ovals during this time. If the proposal to build a basketball and indoor sports centre on the two ovals goes ahead, the School will lose all access to the ovals and the greenspace will be gone.
The P&C is encouraging people to make submissions as this is an issue that will impact current students and staff and the school community for generations to come. In the view of the P&C some of the impacts on the school might be:
1. No more use or access to the oval for school activities such as:
• Classes and lessons for subjects such as Personal Development Health & Physical Education (PDHPE), Lifestyle and Recreation (SLR)
• School sport – cricket, soccer, AFL, rugby league, cross country running
• Emergency evacuation area
• Lunch time and recess free play
• Activities and fun days such as the Colour Run
2. Additional work for teachers that want or need to use an oval or open space as they will need to:
• Get special permission to take students off school grounds
• Do additional risk planning to take students off the school grounds and to cross roads
• Have two staff to take students off school grounds
• Provide additional support for students with mobility challenges
3. Additional costs for traveling to alternative venues
4. Shorter times for learning or sports as time will need to be spent traveling 10min walk to and from the other local ovals, equals 20min less for each period.
5. Fewer free options for school sport
6. Less physical activity for students at lunch and recess
7. Less space for students at lunch and recess, potentially more conflict and less play options
8. Not able to kick any balls during lunch and recess
9. Reduced fitness for students
10. Increase traffic around the school at key times, in Young Road, Turton Road and other back streets
11. Noise and vibrations from construction over many years (due to multi-stage development)
Below we have outlined some tips to make sure your submission effective and have created a step by step guide for how to make a submission.

Our current Basketball community has outgrown the old and derelict stadium. Lots of teams are being turned away due to the lack of courts. Current proposed stadiums will continue to grow this fantastic sport. Current proposed location as great being opposite the hockey stadium. This project is well overdue and will need to be started ASAP

I am writing to formally express my objection to the proposed development project of the Hunter Indoor Sports Centre at Lambton. While I understand the intention behind creating a new basketball stadium for Newcastle, I believe this particular site presents numerous challenges that could significantly harm our community, environment, and future generations.

1. Traffic and parking congestion:
The proposed location is likely to exacerbate existing traffic congestion issues in the neighboring suburb, particularly along Turton Road. This area already suffers from severe congestion and overcrowding on-street parking issues, especially during events at the nearby stadium. The addition of a new facility will only worsen this situation, making it increasingly difficult for residents to navigate their own community.

2. Loss of Green Space:
The current ovals designated for development are vital green spaces that serve our community. The loss of these areas would be irreparable, as green spaces provide essential benefits, including recreational opportunities and mental well-being. Many local sporting clubs, including the Jaffas soccer club and local cricket teams, rely on these ovals for training and games. Without them, these clubs may struggle to find adequate facilities, impacting community engagement and youth participation in sports.

3. Impact on Local Schools:
Lambton High School utilizes these ovals for physical education and extracurricular activities. The removal of these spaces would deprive students of crucial opportunities for outdoor recreation, which is essential for their physical and mental health.

4. Flood Risk Concerns:
The proposed site is situated in a well-known flood area. Replacing green space with concrete will likely exacerbate flooding issues, as natural drainage will be compromised. Recent storms have already demonstrated the vulnerability of this area, leading to significant flooding. Increased impervious surfaces will only heighten these risks, posing a threat to both residents and infrastructure.

In conclusion, while a new basketball stadium could be a valuable asset for Newcastle, I urge you to reconsider this proposed location. The negative implications for traffic, community resources, and environmental sustainability far outweigh the potential benefits. I advocate for a site that does not compromise our community's well-being or our environmental integrity.

Thank you for considering my concerns. I hope for a thorough review of this proposal with the community's best interests in mind.

I believe this site for the proposed Indoor Basketball Centre is totally inappropriate. Firstly: The parking for the proposed 1 million visitors could not possibly be contained by the 250 car spaces as proposed, especially when a function is held a Macdonald Jones Stadium. This would mean the overflow would pour onto the surrounding streets, as it already does. This creates stress and disruptions to the neighborhood, including crime and violence. Coastal lows often sit off Newcastle resulting in copious amounts of rain causing flooding on these ovals which act like a sponge mitigating even worse flooding to the local area. Furthermore, there would be a loss of playing fields to established local Juniors, some of which will have to travel to East Maitland to play. The area behind Lambton High School has also long been used as a convenient open air area by the High School Students to promote a healthy lifestyle. Newcastle Basketball has previously tried without success to position itself as a National Basketball Centre without involving the local community and is doomed to fail again. I do believe that if there was consultation to involve the locals they would have a better chance of success. Evidence of local resistance to this proposal can be seen at the last Council elections where the pro lord mayor was out voted by an oppositional candidate, who like most of us locals, oppose the current site. We do offer some alternate sites: the current one, the entertainment center, the old gasworks but would suggest a proper consultation.

I support the submission in its entirety. This facility will increase access to activities for disabled people and provide allied health treatment options. The current usage is a waste and offers no usage to people with mobility issues.

I believe there is too little "green space" in Newcastle. Rather than take away the three playing fields at the centre of this proposal, I would much prefer to find a location that would be just as suitable but that does not affect existing outdoor playing fields. As a junior, I played many games on those fields, and as a former Student of Lambton High I spent countless hours there in both organised and casual activities. SURELY there is suitable land available somewhere, e.g. the old gas works, or near the council dump, or north of Stockton. I'm told the playing fields in question are Crown Land and therefore "free". They are not free, as the legacy of lost green space would last forever. If it's only money that matters, surely the State Government can find a few bucks to buy a patch of land that would suit. PLEASE rethink this stupid idea. We need more outdoor junior sporting venues, not less.

The proposed location for the development will have a significant negative impact on multiple groups including the current users of the ovals, the high school students who utilise the space for sport and the local residents who will face traffic chaos and risk collisions with frustrated drivers attempting to navigate the small residential streets.

It's current location is not suitable I believe for the following reasons.
* Negatively impact the established High School in regards to:
Safety - more vehicles trying to park and drive near school. It also removes a close area for them to evacuate to in an emergency
Usage - This is used a lot by the school for PE and Sport. If they have to travel further to do outdoor activities they will have less time doing the activities. Childhood obesity is already an issue, don't make it harder for them.
NOISE - Construction and usage next to the school could be excessive and impact their education.
OTHER Issues:
It also doesn't have enough parking or close access to the Train Station.
With the other facilities so close (Stadium and Hockey) major traffic issues if they all have events on at the same time.

Please consider the existing Basketball location or the old Gasworks at Hamilton North.

Although I understand local resident's concerns regarding the loss of green space in our suburb, I support the planned Hunter Indoor Sports Centre (HISC) at the Wallarah/Blackley Ovals (Lambton). The current Broadmeadow facilities are aged and no longer suitable for Newcastle Falcons basketball games or the hundreds of kids and seniors games played at the site each week. The Newcastle region needs an updated indoor sports stadium and it makes sense to co-locate this near existing sports infrastructure. There is adequate green sporting fields adjacent to the site and at Lambton Park.

Newcastle is, & has been for quite a number of years, in desperate need of a new basketball/indoor facility for the hundreds of participants who currently use the current stadium. It is well & truly overdue.
I definitely support the project - it cannot come quick enough.

As a family that participates in Newcastle Basketball activities, we support the development of a new and improved indoor sporting facility. The existing stadium is leaky, does not have enough courts to accommodate the number of teams, divisions and age groups that participate in both summer and winter basketball seasons and is not fit for purpose in terms of toilet and hospitality facilities, change rooms, scoring equipment and displays, or accessible thoroughfares and seating for spectators to safely come to watch a game. For a city the size of Newcastle, the stadium is below par in terms of accessibility, the scope and scale of infrastructure available to allow for our population to participate in indoor sports (basketball, pickelball etc) and to host large or professional events to bring players and audiences to our city. The poor facilities are putting local kids at a disadvantage and reducing their chance of becoming participants, gaining experience or perhaps achieving excellence as refs, players, sports administrators, coaches etc. We see the proposed location in the recognised local sporting precinct (that includes hockey, soccer, football etc) as a good choice. Newcastle is good at preserving green space - we value the local parks and sporting grounds and see that there will still be many if the stadium is to go ahead. We understand the the Lambton HS principal is carefully negotiating access to the facility, which will compensate for one less green space for the high school's use for events and activities. Basketball is experiencing a surge in interest and we understand that Newcastle clubs are turning away players. It is a real shame that those players miss out on the enjoyment, exercise, social connections and benefits of joining and working together as a team. A new larger stadium will help Newcastle Basketball to expand opportunities for all of those players to find a league that will suit their interest and skills. We anticipate that the facility, if large enough, designed to be flexible to accommodate different activities and run with the right ideas about inclusion and accessibility, could become an important and valued place for gathering, meeting others and participation. We know that in contemporary life many are anxious, isolated and unwell from too little activity. We need more places where community and sporting groups can access affordable, safe and welcoming facilities to bring more of us together more often. It would be a shame and embarrassment if Newcastle lost funding for a replacement stadium because it couldn't agree on the location and need for this indoor sports facility. And it would mean that the 6,000 players who show up every week would have to find an alternative sport or league, which would divert local talent to other places. We watched a similar consultation scenario play out in the LGA where we used to live, where community disagreement resulted in an proposed community sporting facility being put on ice and locals having to take their talent, their money and their families out of town to participate in the activity of choice. Noone benefitted in our community from this outcome. We moved to Newcastle from interstate recently as a basketball loving family and were really excited to hear that a new facility was imminent. We strongly support the project, as proposed.

This is a much needed sporting facility for the public of Newcastle and surrounding areas.
The current stadium is beyond repair and with the current lease expiring in 2028 and no chance of renewal. This proposal needs to be actions and the build needs to commence ASAP or we are looking at having no where for basketball to be played in the area.
Newcastle is the largest regional basketball association in NSW, this needs to happen.
This will facility will allow for the increase of basketball in the area as the current facility does not have the capacity for any further growth in the area. Children and adults are missing out on playing a sport they love and in grassroots, trying the sport. Year after year, competition after competition continue to fill up very quickly when nominations are opened leaving many people disappointed.
Other sports will use this facility including the fastest growing sport in the nation, pickleball. Hunter Pickleball not have enough courts to provide continuous growth, the residents of Newcastle and surrounding areas need this facility.
Please consider the above points and support this proposal.

It's absolutely baffling that this project has been stalled by agitators who are self-serving and are only looking after their interest and are a very very slim percentage of Newcastle...... Most of those agitators are from a demographic who are, wealthy and middle-aged or older and who are simply out if touch with what Newcastle needs and indeed what Newcastle is. They do not understand the progression and growth of Newcastle and the changed demographic and the need for new facilities etc. Newcastle is not the same place that it was when they raised their families and purchased their properties, it is a much changed city with changed needs. The truth of the matter is that they are opposed to any change or progression what so ever. Thay are not involved with the Newcastle basketball community and therefore do not actually comprehend the desperate need for this project to go ahead. The Newcastle basketball current stadium is in no was adequate for use, as proven, and is set for decommissioning in 2028..... Each season (winter and summer) there are hundreds of children who miss out on playing their sport because there is not enough capacity. Hundreds. Basketball is the highest growing sport in ausibfor school aged children. Yet we are worried that Lambton high school will not get use of the current oval in the space for one PE lesson a week.... I can see that this is a problem for them...The thing is Lambton high school should not rely on public community space to make up the shortfall of facilities and funding, the idea is simply laughable. This is entirely a DEpt. ED. Issue to resolve with money from their budget..... Not a NCC issue to be resolved. There are 1130 kids at Lambton highschool but There are over 6000 members of Newcastle basketball, as well as their families...... simply mathematics.
Additionally I am utterly disgusted at NSW Labor Mp Sonia horneys opposition to this project. She has had loud public opposition which I find a complete breech of her duties to represent her constituents....... Many many of her constituents do support this project, yet she is supporting a small number who are opposed. It makes me completely question her competency as an elected MP and my own support of the ALP.
Ross Kerridge our newly elected Mayor is another non supporter. He comes from a position of extreme privilege, is not involved with the basketball community and is once again looking out for the interest of a minority. I can absolutely say he is out of touch with the broader Newcastle community. He is so shortsighted he cannot see the opportunity and long-term financial gain this facility would bring to Newcastle. Newcastle is no longer dominated by rich, old, white men and decision making and leadership should reflect that.
We need this project to start NOW we Simply do not have the time for leaders and decision makers to keep politicing at the expense of a huge number of if community members , 6000+. It has been long enough already!!!!!!
Imagine if my 2 sons actually got to play in a stadium that doesn't resort to using buckets when it rains before they actually become adults.....

The proposal does not make any allowances or consideration for the current usage of the park area. The land is used extensively for soccer, cricket, rugby, school activities plus also the local resident usage.
The current Broadmeadow basketball stadium site should be demolished and the courts rebuilt on the same land. I strongly object to the existing stadium site being sold to a developer for a quick buck. There are plenty of other options for apartments to be built elsewhere.
Save our parks and open spaces as we do not have sufficient parkland elsewhere.

I am representing my family of four, three of which use the Newcastle basket ball stadium daily for games and training,
We support the project for the new stadium wholeheartedly