Hunter Indoor Sports Centre (HISC)

Removing green space currently used for multiple different sports and Lambton High students, for a development for a single sport is disgraceful.
This area is a well known flood zone.
This area attracts local wildlife.
Traffic congestion in this area is already horrendous.
Where are all the Lambton High school students going to play sport/exercise? The school grounds are not large enough to accommodate sport.
Where are the local sporting teams going to play their games? Making people drive out to other areas, just adds congestion and parking issues for them.
There are plenty of other locations more suitable for this development.
I OBJECT to this development.

I feel this is another moment where people objected to the Merewether Surfhouse or the Anzac Memorial Walk but when it was built the community were proud of the project. Typical Novocastrians.
My wife and I attended Lambton High from 1995 to 2000. My daughter will start at Lambton High next year and my son will go to Lambton High from 2029.
The concerns around loss of parkland for Lambton High I feel are well overblown.
The fields affected were underutilised by Lambton High whilst we attended during our years there. Much of our ‘play’ time was undertaken within the grounds except for the odd occasion where we would run on the fields for cross-country events, playing AFL during PE lessons or other sports mainly during PE lessons.
All of which could have been still undertaken on the fields immediately to the west of Lambton High.
We often had to make the walk across to the current basketball stadium at Broadmeadow to attend our games and weekly sports.
It would have been brilliant to have had a facility like this next door to our school. Not just for Basketball but for many indoor sports.
To the west of the school are many ovals and fields that are still available to be utilised for field sports.
It is in an area that is central for the community, there is excess available parking across the road at McDobald Jones stadium when the car park becomes full.
Our children currently also play for the New Lambton Junior Soccer club and sometimes have games on these fields. However the grounds are often boggy and unplayable due it largely having been built on a former swamp. It becomes not ideal for junior soccer.
We fully support this project.

Wrong location for basketball, inadequate entry and leaving, congestion of traffic, in a residential area, take away much needed field used by school and other sports. Short term thinking fokks try again.

I fully support this project. Whilst I appreciate a small number of residents are not happy about the green space being taken away, we live in a city and the reality is that facilities need to be built, roads need to be built (think about green space removed in Jesmond bush land for the new road) and we can’t continue to operate a sport in a building that is falling down around the players for the sake of saving some fields that are barely used most days.
I trust the traffic and parking challenges will be adequately addressed in the approval processes. Please let this facility go ahead.

I believe Newcastle needs and deserves the Indoor Sports Centre, but not at the currently suggested location. The development of nearby ovals is not ‘like for like’ given Wallarah Ovals community and school proximity. The development of Broadmeadow Place offers other options along with the Gas Works site.

I fully support the proposal. Newcastle basketball stadium is run down and in need of replacement. It could also be beneficial to the local community, providing world class facilities, that can attract events to Newcastle. It is well placed with in the Broadmeadow sports precinct.

There is a huge need for this infrastructure project in Newcastle. Basketball is a growing sport and completely under serviced compared to sports like soccer or cricket with only one indoor facility. We need this development now.

This will not only support the current sporting community but allow and encourage the emerging sporting community. This promotes healthy lifestyles.

The Newcastle/Hunter region has a massive and growing demand for basketball, yet we have one of the oldest and most rundown facilities in the state. The proposed HISC siting uses land that is just wasted right now; it is unfair that a vocal minority of locals are having an outsized opinion that is tarnishing the positives of the development. The kids of Newcastle (and their playing parents) deserve a better basketball facility, and the proposal is an excellent opportunity to rectify the situation. It has my full support.

As a life playing member and former employee of Newcastle basketball, the relocation and building of a modern facility to cater for the Newcastle and surrounding region basketball participants is way overdue. A modern facility will also ensure future national events and competitions are able tobe hosted, bringing benefits across hospitality and the local community.

This project should never go ahead in the location council is trying to force through.there are a number of important reasons not to use this site. Firstly, it is a green space close to the heart of the city. Once lost it,is lost forever. It is also a,space utilised by the adjoining high school and sporting teams on weekends. It is a flood prone area and by building a large building on the site will not allow the undeveloped area to naturally soak up excess rainwater.
Another important point is that by placing the basketball stadium there you are dramatically increasing the traffic in this area that already struggles whenever there is an event at the stadium just across the road from the proposed site. Already large signs are erected in the area notifying people to traffic delays when a football game is to be held. Putting an extra strain on the current infrastructure makes no sense at all. I already have to time my trips home so as to void this area when events are on and I can only imagine the chaos that will ensue when hundreds more people and their cars descend when an international basketball game is scheduled as well. Parking for this number of cars also becomes an issue as streets around the zone will become clogged as people search for parking.
There are many more appropriate sites that could be utilised but council seems particularly unwilling to consider these for reason I cannot fathom.
I love the idea of Newcastle getting a world class basketball stadium. What I dont like is when reason is not listened to, consideration not given to valid objections and bad planning decisions are made that will impact large sections of the community.
I do not support this proposal for the basketball stadium to be built in this spot at all.

The community was not adequately consulted. This is removal of well used playing fields and further choking the roads in this area.

Impedes current views property.
Conjests traffic.
Increases run off in already low lying flooded area.
Decreases usage as well as park space to Lambton High School.

The community needs more green space for children and community members to use to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Making the basketball centre on the proposed site will take away green space the community uses. There not many green spaces in the community. I believe another site would be more appropriate. Green space encourages a healthy wellbeing by exercise, being in the sunshine and maintaining healthy relationships

1. The existing oval that is used by football, cricket and Lambton High students. These clubs that have used this oval for decades, no relocation options for them have been tabled.
2. The size of the proposed parking area is inadequate for the size of the facilities which means nearby resdidents will be impacted with the overflow when the carpark is full.
3. The site plan lodged by Newcastle Basketball showing an entry and exit only on Turton Road which already has very high traffic volumes especially at times when the stadium on the opposite side of Turton Road is used for sports and entertainment and in peak hours. Turton Road is already heavily congested.
4. The proposed development will destroy an area of green space that is used for recreational activities by members of the community.
5. The proposed development will be built on the oval that is used for pre-game warm up sessions for the Newcastle Nights teams.
6 .The proposed development will will no doubt increase the water run off into Styx Creek which may cause flooding issues downstream.
7. The areas where the existing Basketball Stadium is on Curly Road Broadmeadow and on the opposite side of Curly Road next to Magic Stadium or other areas on the eastern side of Styx, e.g. beside the Newcastle Knights Centre of Excellence should be considered. They are closer to Broadmeadow railway station and major bus routes that run through the area to all parts of Newcastle.
8. The area of the old Newcastle Gas Works East of Styx Creek or the railway land both sides of the main Northern line and south of the Hunter line might also be considered with appropriate rail pedestrian routes above or below the rail corridors. This area is also closer to the Hamilton/Islington Food and Entertainment areas as well as the Maitland Road transport corridor and Hamilton Railway Station providing western access to the Hunter Valley and other areas e.g. Dungog.

This is green space for lambton Jaffas, cricket and lambton high school. Why can’t the court go behind McDonald Jones Stadium or the entertainment centre.
Nuatali Nelmes - what an absolute joke of suggesting it goes on this green space.

-

It’s in the wrong location and will cause many issues

There are several concerns I have in regards to this Development:
1. As a former Lambton High School student, I know the importance of the green space behind this school as essential greenspace for the school community. Plans will demonstrate that by removing this crown land from LHS students demonstrate that the school has no large play area for students to participate in without formal VARIATION OF ROUTINE (VOR) undertaken by school to create excursions, additional work, teacher supervision etc.

2. My cousin owns a unit at 3/303 Turton Road - the VISUAL IMPACT STATEMENT has deliberately manipulated this report by not putting a visual of the units and the impact on them. Her unit will have a 16m wall overlooking her verandah and she will lose value in her first home purchase, will lose sunlight from the Eastern side and have a monstrosity upon her. Please refer to the appendix to confirm this glaring omission to residents most impacted.

Keely will experience lighting at 30% all night long at her Loungeroom and bedroom. This lighting is sensored, so any movement will turn lights on at 100% - impacting her sleep and living significantly.

The exit from the stadium is only 5 metres from the Turton units exit, it will pose significant difficulties in not only exiting but cause potential accidents in the area.

3. As a member of Awabakal Land Council, Newcastle Basketball approached our membership and requested that we remove the land claim on the site. They informed us that they only had 4 weeks to get an answer before losing their money. The fact that they were aware of the Land Claim and tried to pressure our members into making a significant decision without renumeration disgusts me and shows their authentic lack of respect towards our community and members.

It was decided at our meeting to NOT LIFT THE LAND CLAIM - Newcastle Basketball still proceeded in their submission with contempt to the rights of our community agains the NSW Land Act.

4. As a player and committee member of BERESFIELD TOUCH ASSOCIATION. I draw to your attention the conflict of interest from KEVIN ALLEN (Newcastle Football Executive and Beresfield Football Executive) who wrote a letter of support for Newcastle Football Club to move New Lambton players from their local community and relocate to Tarro Reserve. He informed our club that we have overstayed our welcome and will be relocating to old fields as teams from New Lambton were being transferred to him to build his almost defunct club. He had clear and distinct conversations with Nuatalia Nelmes who suggested to him and other users of Tarro Reserve to apply for amenities upgrade. This was announced via Newcastle Herald and our affiliate still has had no correspondence, but discovered that the new amenities will be built on one of our playing fields. Our club is the oldest and largest (By 60 teams) user of Tarro reseve, however the letter of support from Newcastle Soccer shows a CONFLICT OF INTEREST and benefits that Kevin and his Beresfield club will now benefit from.

5. TRAFFIC CONGESTION - anybody who lives in and around the stadium knows the significant congestion that Turton Road, and surrounding areas endure on a day to day basis, but also during NRL and hockey events. My uncle lives on Gloucester Street and the local area has narrow residential streets, and often when events are on, you cannot get your car through to the house, adding another huge stadium operating 6am-11pm 7 days a week in residential area is not a viable option

Finally, the lack of respect and communication towards Awabakal Land Council members, residents and community does not reflect their Community Engagement report. The friendship between the Lord Mayor and CEO of the basketball has given Newcastle basketball a healthy amount of courage in obtaining this land despite most of the Newcastle area opposing the location

I do not support this location, and I hold grave concerns that the reports submitted are not the true reflection of the reality

I am a local user of the existing cricket facilities, having played on the turf wicket over the past decade.
If this development proceeds we will lose an existing sporting asset and replace it with another. I understand that the basketball association need a new venue, but why should it be at the cost to others ?
Do we get a new cricket ground on the old basketball site ?
Any social benefits outlined within the EIS, must be contrasted by the loss of others. I am not the only user of the area, i understand there are soccer clubs and school groups that utilise the area. With additional dwellings proposed in Hunter park, open green space will be at an ever-increasing premium. Once the open space is gone, it will never come back.
I dont play basketball and feel this is a massive over development and waste of space. I do play cricket and will worse off as a result of this development.