Hunter Indoor Sports Centre (HISC)

I give my support to this proposed development.

There is a definite need for more and better basketball facilities in the Newcastle area. The current facility is at end if useful life and is not large enough to accomodate the numbers of people, especially kids, currently wanting to play basketball. I support the proposal and look forward to seeing the positive social and economic impacts it will have on the local community through involvement in sport and creation of jobs.

I specifically object to the proposed location of the project

There are football fields in almost every suburb of Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, plus McDonald Jones Stadium and Speers Point fields for competitive games. There are, however, no basketball courts available to play, train or host competitive competition in Newcastle or Lake Macquarie - the Broadmeadow courts have been there for over 60 years and in desperate need of an upgrade. We need more from our council and Govt to support this proposal.

My wife, Helen Lynley and I are strong disbelievers in this project, and we don't think it will be valuable in this community.

I support this as the town needs this for the growing basketball community

My husband, Thomas Lynley and I are strong disbelievers in this project, and we don't think it will be valuable in this community.

Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to express my opposition to the proposed Hunter Indoor Sports Centre (HISC) development at 2 Monash Road and 24 Wallarah Road, New Lambton (SSD-65595459).
I am submitting this as a citizen and not in an official capacity.
While I recognise the potential benefits of additional indoor sports facilities in the region, I have significant concerns about this particular proposal:
1. Loss of open green space: The development would result in the loss of Blackley Oval and Wallarah Oval, which are currently used as public recreation spaces and playing fields. Once built upon, this open green space will be permanently lost to the community.
2. Traffic congestion: The Traffic Impact Assessment projects over 400 vehicle trips during peak hours. This substantial increase in traffic volume is likely to exacerbate congestion on already busy roads like Turton Road, negatively impacting local residents.
3. Parking pressures: The proposed 240 parking spaces seem inadequate for a facility that can host events with up to 2,500 spectators. This is likely to result in overflow parking in surrounding residential streets.
4. Flooding concerns: While flood mitigation measures are proposed, the site is known to be flood-prone. Developing on this land may exacerbate local flooding issues, especially given climate change projections.
5. Environmental impacts: The development will require the removal of several mature trees and will increase the impermeable surface area, potentially impacting local biodiversity and contributing to urban heat island effects.
6. Alternative locations: I believe alternative locations that do not require the loss of existing public open space should be more thoroughly explored before proceeding with this proposal.
While I support the provision of improved sporting facilities for the community, I believe the negative impacts of this particular proposal outweigh its benefits. I urge you to reconsider this development application.
Yours sincerely,
Ross Kerridge

Looking forward to having a great basketball/indoor sports facility in Newcastle

I support this project and its proposed location due to its central location, ease of access & within sports precinct

I support the development of this centre as it will be a great addition to the community.

The land on which the proposed basketball stadium would be built is adjacent to a major high school, and to long-established private residences. It is designated as an evacuation area for the school in the event of an emergency, and as well is used daily for school outdoor activities. The land consists of three sporting ovals, that are used winter and summer by local junior sporting bodies, particularly junior cricket and football. There are no other suitable grounds for such teams in the vicinity. The land is low-lying, and has been flooded during very heavy storm events in past years. To build over this land would exacerbate the risk of more flooding in the surrounding streets. Ask the locals. Most seriously, if that land is taken for the purpose indicated, it would represent a permanent loss of precious green space in this urban area, which in my humble view would be a travesty. We need to protect existing green space, not cover it.

We simply do not have enough indoor sporting venues to support a geographical area and population base as large as the city of Newcastle and the Hunter Region. We are currently not even servicing the current population (large waiting lists and not enough courts) let alone preparing for any growth to the region and to the growing need for sporting facilities and health and well-being activites.

It is taking away children and school playing fields in inner city. There are plenty of alternatives. Local government not interested. There was a large protest against the development however the then Lord mayor failed to attend.

I live close by the proposed project and am fully aware of traffic and parking chaos already resulting from activities at McDonald Jones Stadium. These problems will be further exasperated by the addition of this new development.
My greatest objection lies with the handing over of public land to a private enterprise, Basketball Association of Newcastle Limited. Public Parks MUST stay in public hands!!!! Never given away!! No brainer!!
The proposers of this development claim they undertook research into the usage of Blackley and Wallarah Ovals and came up with the stunning conclusion that they were severely under-utilized . Apparently this "research" was conducted during the Covid lockdown. Their premise of under-utilization is based upon deceit and lies!!
Blackley and Wallarah Ovals are regularly used by men, women, boys and girls for football(soccer), cricket and touch football seven days a week. In fact I saw some Oz-tag games happening only yesterday ( 17th October).
Of course I use the Ovals recreationally as do my neighbors and other community members and their children.
By far the greatest and the most important utilization of the Ovals is by the Public School Students of Lambton High School, who possess no other significant sports fields. I observe the daily usage of the Ovals before school, at recess and lunch with both passive and active undertakings, football, cricket and touch etc. Many PE classes are conducted daily to further add to the total usage of the Ovals. These ovals would be some of the most utilized in Newcastle NOT THE LEAST!!
In a time of public debate regarding Public School funding, facilities and resources I find it totally outrageous that a public school, Lambton High, will loose it playing and sporting fields!!
This project's proposed location is based on a lie, has been devised and promoted by Labor Party Councilors to a Labor Government to then to be pushed through this process as a done deal. I smell a rat!!! It stinks of being a contrivance.
PUBLIC PARKS AND PUBLIC SCHOOL PLAYING FIELDS SHOULD BE LEFT IN PULIC HANDS FOR PUBLIC USE, NOT GIVEN AWAY!!
Yours Sincerely
Bill Fullick

This project is planned for the wrong place. Somewhere closer to public transport/ train station and that is not parkland. Monash Road is a flood zone so building concrete areas will only make this worse. The increase in traffic will be detrimental to the local residents and a safety issue so close to the school and other sporting fields.
Newcastle has so many vacant sites with derelict buildings needing demolition that would be much more suitable. I think that 12 basketball courts are way too many. Thank you

Basketball in Newcastle is bursting at the seams. We run competitions 5 afternoons/nights and week and one morning.
The stadium is always full with people playing basketball, volleyball, and pickleball. If these competitions are not in progress then there is schools training/playing or using the facility for sports times. Also most mornings a week there is high intensity training for talented and targeted athletes.
The stadium is also used for weekend competitions run by the state and we are also hiring out external venues during this time.
We need more space to improve our competitions and our club and most importantly the basketballers in Newcastle

The traffic jambs and parking around this area is already extreme, when there is a football game, or “event” on at Marathon stadium.
There is planned medium density housing to go into the surrounding suburbs, further increasing traffic issues.
The area floods in wet weather. Are there guarantees that the bulk of the stadium won’t exacerbate more intense flooding in surrounding streets? Where people live!
The present grounds are already used on a daily basis by schools, sporting groups and the public.
They are not sitting there, vacant!!!
Green space in Newcastle is rapidly diminishing with the amount of development already happening, let alone the proposed new high rise buildings.
Once gone, green space is gone forever.
I oppose this Basketball Stadium going in this place.

I object to this project because of its location.
This project should not be located over 2 well used community green space ovals that are used every day by different sporting teams for practise and training, the students of the school adjoining the ovals as well as for general community recreation.
Once green space is lost it can never be recovered!
In the interest of future generations especially in this technological age we must preserve community green spaces like these 2 ovals at all costs for the children of Newcastle.

This proposal development of the Hunter Basketball stadium is a wonderful idea on the surface but does not take into account a number of issues with the proposed site. Part of the approval of the local high school was that the students had access to the sports grounds adjacent to the school and that access will be cancelled when the stadium is built. Parking at the new stadium will be worse than that offered at the existing site and the entrance and exit to the stadium will be off one of the busiest, traffic choked streets in Newcastle. Why not build this stadium in one of the western suburbs of Newcastle. The Jesmond area would be a great opportunity to increase sporting facilities and stimulate business activities in the area.