Hunter Indoor Sports Centre (HISC)

I feel this development is vital to the people of the Hunter. With the exponential growth of basketball this will be the only facility that can accommodate the demand.

After reading the response from Newcastle Basketball re the HISC being built on the Ovals in New Lambton, l am unable to understand why this is still being considered as a possible site.

My objections are still as follows: -

* LAMBTON HIGH SCHOOL.
- Loss of green area to use for breaks, Sport,PE and evacuation points.
- Shadows over buildings from a 6 storey building.
- Noise from construction/traffic/ deliveries.
- Noise from traffic using stadium (HISC) for games, parents dropping off children, spectators, whistles, shoes, game sirens.
- Students forced to travel to other ovals for PE and Sport, wasting teaching/learning time.

* TRAFFIC:
- Entry/exit onto Turton Rd from the stadium (HISC) would increase congestion on this already busy road.
- Emergency vehicles could have issues getting to/ from and past MacDonaldJones Stadium, Hockey Center and the Basketball Stadium - especially if events are being held at all of these venues. Also, occasionally an event is also held at the Newcastle Showground/ Entertainment area which adds to traffic/parking congestion.
- Overflow parking in local streets - causing extra cars to travel in these narrow streets looking for parks, then often parking illegally causing issues for local residents.
- increased traffic when events are on at MacDonald Jones Stadium/ Hockey Center and at the HISC itself.
- Young Rd is closed now on days when events are held at Macdonald Jones, causing traffic chaos in the area. Mobile road signs are placed in many streets in the weeks before an event, to advise drivers to avoid the area. Building the HISC there with traffic trying to enter/ leave the HISC on Turton Rd, to get to games will go against these signs and only add more chaos to the area.
- Many minor accidents occur while motorists are searching for a parking spot due to narrow streets, impatient drivers, pedestrians forced to walk on roads, illegally parked vehicles and angry drivers. HISC would only increase these issues.
- l live about 4 blocks from Turton Rd and cars are parked many more blocks away from Turton Rd during Stadium events.

Blackley and Wallarah OVALS:
- Why replace green areas with buildings when these areas are currently well used?
- Lambton High uses them daily each week, Cricket and Soccer teams use them after school for training and weekends for games, locals use them for dog walking and family games.
- suggestions to move the sports teams to other local parks is an unworkable option as these parks are already used for training and games now...except when they are unusable due to flooding issues.

FLOODING:
- the Ovals often flood now and the drain next to them frequently overflows in bad weather....what will happen to this flood water if buildings are erected
on the Ovals?

**** Everyone agrees that while a new Basketball stadium is needed... THESE OVALS ARE NOT A PRACTICAL PLACE TO BUILD THE HISC. ******

A new basketball stadium for for purpose is overdue

The basketball stadium provides a venue for family groups and the community to come together to play on a social or competitive level. The basketball community is all inclusive. My family of 9 all play. I have had 7 of our children play rep basketball all have achieved success and two of them have been offered college scholarships to play ball.
The stadium provides a community, a family a home for kids who need somewhere to grow and develop.It is the only such facility in the Newcastle Lake Macquarie area.
6000 members need a home for their game.

This is not a debate about indoor sport; it is about putting the right facility in the right place and the use of Wallarah oval is not ideal for them or the community. Building HISC on these ovals trades away essential community green space, compromises school operations, and pushes traffic/parking burdens onto residents. I live locally and find local traffic is extremely busy at peak times and when there are events such as football games and entertainment concerts. I also find that people currently have to park as far away as the St Therese area and New Lambton shopping streets.
In addition over the years I have seen several floods in the area including around the football stadium I would hate to see a further burden on the local drains from additional water runoff from the proposed development.
The proposal does not meet DPHI guidelines of being in the best interests of the public in that the benefits for the basketball community do not outweigh the permanent, significant impacts on the surrounding community. For these reasons, I respectfully request that the proposal be rejected at this location.

I would like to wholeheartedly support this project. I have played basketball for many years in both Sydney and Newcastle, and Newcastle Basketball is long overdue and new sporting centre. There are thousands of adults and children who enjoy the sport and a new facility in the Newcastle area is sorely needed. The location is a great, central location that will be easily accessible and will be a welcome addition to the current sporting precinct of Broadmeadow/Lambton, that already supports rugby league, hockey, soccer and many other sporting activities.
The area proposed is very under-utilised and many of the current users of the grounds would be able to use the grounds that are only meters away at Arthur Edden Oval, Ford Oval and Kentish Oval.
Basketball is a rapidly growing sport in the Newcastle area, with well thousands of people playing basketball every day at the current Newcastle Basketball stadium (and many other hired sites - Hunter Sports High School, Macquarie College, The Forum Sports Centre, etc). These numbers of people participating in and enjoying basketball show that the proposed site would be far better utilised by a the Hunter Indoor Sports Centre than its current status as under utilised grassed area.
The current stadium is also hosting representative rounds, school PSSA, CIS and many other uses.
As a parent of children playing representative basketball I have seen many other regional cities (much smaller than Newcastle/The Hunter) with fantastic basketball facilities... it is such a shame that Newcastle has such a tired and worn out stadium, with an expiring lease, and is now looking at a possible future without its own basketball facility at all.
Again I would like to wholeheartedly support the project and would love to see Newcastle get the basketball stadium it so desperately needs.

Please go ahead with the development

I have been involved in basketball for a very long time and I would love to see the current building updated to a new facility in Lambton. The building is falling down around us and w e are in desperate need for our growing community sport. The new building will not only benefit basketball but a host of other sports including , volleyball, pickleball, school sport, possibly gymnastics and many more. We need this for the children!

The stadium is a long awaited venue for all up and coming young players across a range of sports.

Project looks great. Would be wonderful for the Newcastle sporting youth. Needs a new stadium.

Extremely keen for a new stadium. The current facilities are very old and outdated and not suitable for the current needs

Basketball is a huge sport in Newcastle, and growing every year. Newcastle Basketball in the only sport in Newcastle without multiple venues. We’re only asking for one venue. We need to embrace change

I support it cause there will be better playing areas

I am fully supportive of this for kids and adults to grow the game of basketball

Support children and teen physical and mental health

My children love playing basketball and we need a new stadium. Also, I'd love to see the return of the Newcastle Falcons

I support this project

I support the project

I strongly object to the HISC at the location identified - Wallarah and Blakely Ovals. Find attached my considered response to this objection and the reasons for this SSD to be rejected.

Newcastle basketball deserves a new stadium to match the growth and success of the sport in the region. With rising attendance, strong community support, and a talented team in the NBL1, a modern facility would enhance fan experience, support player development, and attract more events to the city. A new stadium would not only reflect the city's passion for basketball but also boost local economy and youth engagement in sport.