Hunter Indoor Sports Centre (HISC)

I am writing to object to the Hunter Indoor Sports Centre due to the following reasons.
The proposed site is a flood prone area and with changing climate, rising sea levels and lack of grass areas to take onboard the excess water during rain, this will be detrimental to the surrounding residents as our house are more at risk of being flooded due to the larger concrete surface area.
I am concerned that there has not been much community consultation and when they have organised times for the consultation it has been during times which are not accessible to people who are working, or they change the time or length of the meeting with very little notice.
I am concerned that there will be increased traffic incidents especially on Turton rd , Monash Rd and Walllarah Rd when there are multiple events on at the same time, for example the football , hockey and soccer are on at the same time. As there is only one entry to the HISC from Turton road, people travel from the north on Turton road are likely to perform a u-turn at the Monash Rd turning bay, or they will increase parking congestion in the surrounding streets, with people not respecting the residents as they park and when they are returning to their cars at late hours. People trying to access the car park for the HISC are also likely to perform u-turns on Monash rd which will add to congestion in the area.
Lambton High School will be affected as they loose their fields for sports, lunch breaks and as their evacuation rally point. If the centre goes ahead, they will need to move to Ford Oval which puts increased pressure on the teachers at the school as they will need increase staff for supervision as the children access the oval across a busy road.
The changes to the HISC has decreased the amount of green space for the public to access in their plan is proposed close to both Monash and Turton Rds which causes more of a risk for families with younger children being closer to the passing traffic.
I strongly believe that the proposed site of Wallarah and Blackley Ovals for the complex is not the right place for it to be built especially if the Newcastle basketball predictions of growth do come to fruition they will outgrow their new proposed complex . Having the HISC here will add to the growing traffic in the area, especially when there are events on at the stadium, the proposed new site of the entertainment centre as well as the hockey. I urge Newcastle Basketball to find a new site for their proposed building.
Below are photos of flash flooding from a storm in July 2020.

I support this project which will give opportunities for physical and mental health wellbeing of many citizens in the city.

Lambton High School Parents and Citizens Association (the P&C) remains adamantly opposed to the Hunter Indoor Sports Centre being constructed on the proposed land adjacent to LHS. We stand by our original submission, as attached, and reiterate our objections based on the adverse impact on the LHS community and surrounding residents of the development being approved on the site of Wallarah and Blackley Ovals.

As is publicity noted, of the 658 submissions to the initial proposal, 484 were opposed to the development at this site. It is important to note that most submissions are highly supportive of a new indoor sports facility being built in the Hunter, just not on the identified site.

The issues that directly impact LHS following the response to initial submissions, and the questions that remain, are:

• The footprint of the proposed building has expanded, meaning the initial oval space / green space LHS currently uses is now non-existent. Why further reduce the existing green space given that LHS uses it daily?

• LHS currently pays the City of Newcastle (CoN) to access Wallarah Oval on an annual basis for daily student activity (PE, sport, general recreation during breaks). It also serves as the key evacuation point for staff and students in the case of an emergency. This space will no longer be available. Where can students’ access safe green space? Where can staff and students be safely evacuated to in the event of an emergency?

• The HISC proposed building height has increased from the original design. Why? What impact will this have on the southern classrooms regarding amenity and light?

• Newcastle Basketball states that LHS can access Arthur Edden Oval and Harker Oval. This is 100 percent false. Advice from CoN to LHS states that without doubt AE Oval is a National Premier League (soccer/football) ground with no option to access. Harker Oval is the home base for West Rugby League and West Cricket, and again no option to access. Why do the proponents of HISC continue to make flippant comments that other local spaces can be used?

• Impact during the construction period has been ignored. Construction is proposed over a three-year period from 7am-6pm Monday to Friday. LHS students and staff will be subjected daily to the noise and construction-related environmental impacts (dust, dirt, heavy vehicle and machinery noise). How is this conducive to a supportive learning environment? What hardship considerations/concessions will students undertaking assessments and exams, including the HSC, be given?

The recent amended proposal has raised significant technical issues including moving the development 19.5m to the west, which aligns it to the LHS border. The flood report [Appendix I page 26] indicates this will result in an increase in the baseline velocity of flood water from 0.1-0.2 to 0.3-0.7 in the outdoor covered area at the back of the school.

This can result in flood waters moving 3-7 times faster than before which poses serious risk to students in the event of heavy rainfall. This amount of rushing water may likely do damage to school infrastructure. The building will be almost 17m tall and will stand 6m from the school boundary, meaning the whole back area of the school will be in shade.

This summary skims the surface on how LHS will be impacted, not to mention our local community. Already residents deal with the impact of events at Hunter Stadium and the Hockey Centre almost all 52 weeks each year.

An excellent summary has been circulated by the community group Save Our Local Ovals and concludes the proposed HISC:

“… is unfit for approval. It fails residents, it fails basketball participants, it fails planning principles, and it fails the taxpayer. A project of this scale must be located in a suitable precinct, with sound design, governance, and funding – not imposed on an already congested residential and school-adjacent site with no precedent.”

LHS P&C reiterates the HISC is much needed and would be a welcome asset to the Hunter community. But it’s the right concept in the wrong location. The enduring impact on LHS and the broader local community the HISC development will have is unacceptable, particularly in light of the vast tracts of unutilised land within the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Port Stephens Local Government Areas. Development of such size and importance must go ahead in a location that has the overwhelming support of its local community. In the case of the current HISC proposal this undeniably fails that basic test.

Newcastle definitely needs an up to date centre that will accommodate present and future competition. Being able to host State, National and International events would be ideal. Myself and my son are currently playing basketball. However as I am also involved in one of the sports that will be impacted by the loss of fields. It is disappointing that basketball continue with their attitude that these issues are resolved for the other sports when it clearly isn't. The knock on affect will carry for a long time whilst basketball enjoy their new facility with no thought for the other sports.

I strongly support the Newcastle Basketball HISC SSDA development. The current stadium is outdated and no longer meets community needs, with children often turned away due to limited court space. A new, modern centre will allow kids and families to play sport year-round, regardless of weather, and will provide much-needed capacity.

Importantly, the HISC will be more than just a basketball facility—it will cater to multiple sports including futsal, volleyball, pickleball, netball and tennis. This will make it a true community hub that supports health, youth engagement, inclusion, accessibility, and social connection.

The project will be a vital asset for Newcastle, providing opportunities for all ages and abilities while also building clear talent pathways for young athletes. I urge approval of this much-needed development.

I think it will be good for the community

Basketball in the hunter is one of the largest sporting disciplines , yet we still have sub par facilities to perform out of. The city of Newcastle deserves the ability to head up our own Nbl team and will only have the opportunity with the new stadium. Having all sporting disciplines in the same precinct makes sense and location is perfectly central for this great city.

Well overdue upgrade to a heavily used Basketball stadium.

We desperately need a new sporting facility in Newcastle. This is so important for our children’s future!

The Newcastle and the broader hunter community desperately needs this centre and the current specified is the most convenient location

As per my previous objection I still strongly object to the location of this project. I support Newcastle Basketball getting a new stadium somewhere but this is not the right location. Key reasons it is not the right location are provided below:
1. Traffic and parking: Traffic in suburban surrounding streets is already a nightmare, when Knights or Jets games are on and when Hockey games are on, especially so when all are being used. Residents driveways already get parked across, drivers get fined every week for parking in illegal locations. It seems non-sensical to add to this traffic nightmare with another huge development.
2. Loss of green space: These ovals are of vital importance to the local community for soccer, cricket, the adjoining high school and the surrounding community. They are part of the green lungs of the area that runs all the way from Lambton village to the stadium. Once green space is lost it cannot be replaced. Green space is also very important due to the increasing density of development in the surrounding suburbs. Please don't take our green space away.
3. Location: While it is recognised that the NSW Government wants to develop for high rise development the current basketball stadium, this does not mean that the community should lose by having green space developed. The new basketball facilities should be located either in the new Hunter Park precinct across the road which contains abundant land for this purpose that is already surfaced or concreted. Or another location such as Glendale etc.
4. Lambton High School: Currently the area is used frequently by the high school students as sporting and breakout / activity areas. Once lost this cannot be replaced.
5. Lack of consultation: The announcement for the site was made without consultation with the community and is seen as a foregone conclusion. This approach is disrespectful to the community and local residents. Hardly any consultation with local residents has still occurred!
6. Flooding: No matter how the experts justify that this project can be located in this location, it seems to make no sense to add further hardstand area to and area which currently is a slow soak when lots of rain occurs, gradually letting the water infiltrate the soil rather than going straight into the main open drains that rise quickly during rain events to the top, and overspill during flooding events. The centre of a floodplain is not an appropriate location for something of the proposed scale. The consultant seems to have focussed on on-site flooding but what about the surrounding residents and drains?
7. Residents: Adjoining residents were not properly consulted and some of the adjoining townhouses will have a monolith erected next to them instead of looking onto greenspace that has and should have always been permanent open green space.

The community consultation from Newcastle Basketball has been terrible. For such a huge scale development there has hardly been any open consultation that is not designed to minimise objections or problems or controversy.

Again - this is not the right location and takes up extremely valuable green space that will be needed as the surrounding areas continue to increase in urban development density.

Please listen to the local community and please reject this gross overdevelopment of an existing public green space that will only add to traffic and flooding woes of the community!

I believe it be a fantastic addition to the community and it is very much needed

I strongly support the proposed basketball stadium which will provide a valuable facility to the local community. Beyond basketball it will cater to a range of other sporting activities ensuring benefits for people of all ages and interests.
The planning committee have addressed local concerns and I believe this project will have a positive impact on the community and promote health and well-being in the community.
I urge the government to support this application and approve this development in the best interest of all involved.

This is a long overdue project and a great location in a high growth area, close to future public transport options, a giant car park and centrally located in Newcastle. There’s plenty of green space nearby and these grounds are often closed because of saturation after rain.

A new sports centre is desperately needed.

Hunter basketball facilities are aged and over utilised. It is time for an upgrade to continue supporting the sport of basketball and active lifestyles in the community

We need a new stadium

As a user of the current basketball stadium and Falcons player we are in desperate need of a new stadium. The current one is not fit for purpose. We were unable to train as a representative team on our home court and had local competition cancelled due to inclement weather causing the court to be unsafe

Firstly, I want to make it clear that I support investment in Newcastle’s sporting and entertainment facilities. My three sons all play basketball and our family is actively involved with Newcastle Basketball. However, I have significant concerns regarding the proposal to build a new basketball stadium on land opposite my residence in New Lambton.

TRAFFIC AND PARKING
My primary concern is the impact on parking and traffic congestion in an area that is already unsafe and overwhelmed during major events at McDonald Jones Stadium.

Existing conditions
McDonald Jones Stadium is a 30,000+ seat venue that already attracts sell out crowds for the Newcastle Knights, Newcastle Jets, NRLW, State of Origin, Wallabies tests, Matildas fixtures, major concerts. While this stadium is well established, it still creates substantial parking and traffic challenges for nearby residents, with illegal parking, blocked driveways, and congested streets occurring regularly. McDonald jones stadium is only going to attract more and more events in the future as Newcastle gets recognised as an entertainment and sporting hub. We will host the rugby World Cup games in 2027 and ongoing NRLW magic rounds and state of origin on top of the permanent fixtures we host.

The current proposal includes only 220 on-site parking spaces, with at least 780 vehicles expected to spill into surrounding streets. There is also no provision for staff, players, officials, or overlap with events at McDonald Jones Stadium. This is completely inadequate and will place even greater pressure on residents and local roads.

Stress on residents
Living opposite McDonald Jones Stadium already means that every major event it can take a substantial time just to get in or out of my own driveway. Finding parking near my house becomes a battle for our second car with cars constantly parked across driveways, on nature strips, and even blocking footpaths. What should be a normal, everyday task like returning home or having visitors turns into a frustrating and stressful ordeal with a lot of forward planning. Adding another major venue across the road will make these situations even worse with us having to deal with this up to seven days a week and the stadium open until after 10pm most nights.

Event-day road closures
Traffic management measures such as road closures and diversions are already required during events at McDonald Jones Stadium. These closures restrict residents from accessing their own homes and create unsafe manoeuvres. With another stadium opposite, these problems will escalate further. With these measures for these events, it shows you the roads we have now with the increased traffic and pedestrians can’t cope

I also note that the proposal fails to address Monash Road, which is a main thoroughfare for residents, commuters, and vehicles attending McDonald Jones Stadium. During major events this road is already heavily congested, with cars spilling into surrounding streets and pedestrians forced to navigate unsafe conditions walking along Monash Road. Adding further traffic associated with a new stadium will only intensify these problems. Residents already experience significant stress trying to park near their own homes during events, and Monash Road is at the centre of this issue. Without a clear traffic management and parking strategy that includes Monash Road, the proposal leaves a serious gap in addressing community impacts.

Traffic Flow Concerns – Turton Road and Young Road

Traffic on Turton Road is already heavily congested and regularly banked up, particularly during peak commuter times and major events at McDonald Jones Stadium. Forcing additional visitors approaching from the north to turn right into Young Road will make this problem significantly worse.

The right-turn lane into Young Road is short and already backs up under normal conditions. With the proposal expecting around 500 visitors per hour, this will quickly exceed the turning lane capacity, causing traffic to queue back onto Turton Road and further slow an already busy arterial route.

Young Road is also closed during events at McDonald Jones Stadium, meaning this access point is not always available. This would cause further confusion, diversions, and gridlock as vehicles are forced to find alternate access through already stressed residential streets.

Turton Road cannot handle this additional turning volume without creating major traffic delays and safety risks. This proposal would only intensify an existing choke point and put more pressure on both Turton Road and Young Road, neither of which have the infrastructure to absorb such an increase.


Flood Concerns
The proposed development site is located in a known flood mitigate zone that already struggles to cope with heavy rain. There is a major drain through this area which regularly overflows during storms, and when this happens nearby houses are directly impacted by flooding.

The existing oval currently plays an important role in absorbing and slowing down stormwater runoff. If it is removed and replaced with hard surfaces and buildings, that natural capacity will be lost and water will be forced into the drainage system and surrounding streets, which are already unable to cope. This will increase the frequency and severity of flooding to nearby homes, creating ongoing safety risks and property damage.

It is also concerning that the consultant’s own report clearly states they are not a flood modeller and cannot provide commentary on the quality of the flood modelling relied upon. The assessment has simply accepted the modelling outputs at face value without any independent verification. This means the risk of flooding has not been adequately addressed and serious issues may have been overlooked.

Given the site’s known history of drainage overflow and residential flooding, proceeding without a robust, independently verified flood assessment is irresponsible and will expose the community to unacceptable risk.

To think this location is the only suitable location in the whole of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie or the Hunter is ludicrous.
Many Thanks
Thomas Robertson

This is an essential development for the region and for basketball nsw. As a family of basketball players, we know too well that there simply is not enough facilities to support one of the largest and fastest growing sports in the region.