Hunter Indoor Sports Centre (HISC)

Our kids need updated facilities.

Newcastle needs better facilities for the growing sport of basketball

I support this submission.

The sport of basketball as a whole is in need of more facilities which can be used in the rain. The current offerings dont cover demand

Newcastle is in major need of a functional indoor sports stadium. The current one is not fit for purpose.

It has been a very long overdue project to have a new indoor sports Centre. Given the issues with the current Broadmeadow site, this is necessary. The loss of fields is not ideal, however the opportunities for thousands of people to use a new stadium over a week in comparison to current field use is incomparable. I therefore support this proposal.

We need a new indoor sports centre

Positive step forward for a fast growing, hugely popular sport - basketball

Need for courts. Gives us the chance to play more and have more time

I am a volleyball player we desperately need more courts. We are spread between around 5 locations. The basketballers want more courts but we can’t fit our leagues on the two courts we currently have once a week.

This sports centre is a much needed addition to Newcastle.

We need new stadium, current is old and unsafe

We need a new stadium

I agree with this proposal, there is a severe need to replace the existing facility, it leaks and is dangerous to the players
A stadium such as the proposed can be used for NBL games and other games etc to draw in more tourism to the area

We need a new stadium due wanting have new facilities to be able train on better courts cause I want to play on a nbl team

I play basketball here and would love to see a newccourt or courts to play on

i object to project for reasons being, impact of traffic travelling to and from sports centre, loss of green space, impact on High School and size of project out of proportion for area.

I am writing to submit my OBJECTION to SSD-65595459 Hunter Indoor Sports Complex (HISC), and have highlighted the reasons in the attached document that have not been sufficiently addressed by the applicant.

These reasons include, but are not limited to:
- traffic impacts
- parking impacts
- social impacts
- flooding impacts
- loss of green space
- lack of community engagement

Please see attached document for more detailed evidence of the detrimental impacts that this proposed build will have on the proposed sites.

Please get this built, our area so desperately needs it.

I object to the “Hunter Indoor Sports Centre” being constructed on Wallarah & Blackley ovals at Lambton. These fields are well utilised – not only by sporting teams & the local residents but are essential for Lambton High School Students. This Public High School was built in this location with a formal agreement that it has access to these fields for teaching, sport & play. The school pays a fee to Newcastle City Council to do this. It is not fair to take the fields away from the students & leave them with no green space!
If this proposal goes ahead it will result in less physical activity and vit D for Lambton High students. The population of students will only increase & will leave them in extremely cramped conditions with no green space to utilise. This will result in more fights, no space to run around & an even more obese population.
The school already has its own Basketball courts to utilise- it does not need access to any more. It needs the fields & the green space. None of the other fields near the school are accessible to the students, they require crossing of roads with at least 2 teachers & parental consent to take the children off school grounds. The students will also have less time for that activity as they will have to take travelling time into consideration. Taking away the fields will also require more parents to pay for school sports as there will be less free options. These fields were previously utilised for free sporting activities & some families will not be able to afford the extra expense for excursions.
The students not only use the fields for sports but also access them for recess & lunch times. The fields are also the school’s emergency evacuation area- where will the new location for this be?! It is also going to be a nightmare getting children to & from school with all the trade vehicle & trucks taking over the streets.
My daughter has just started year 7 at Lambton High this year. This proposal has created so much stress, anxiety & uncertainty in thinking how this is going to affect my children’s high schooling years. My greatest concern is the construction noise that will be created by the erection of this building. The works will mainly be taking place while students are in class! How are they meant to focus with construction noise literally on top of them!
Not all the classrooms at Lambton High have air-conditioning. How are they going to have the windows open for breeze with all the constriction noise, not to mention concrete dust & fumes. I noticed in the EIS Appendix U Acoustic Assessment “RAPT Consulting” section 3.1, they have suggested times that the community may be less sensitive to noise, such as mid-morning or mid- afternoon for “noise affected level is exceeded” works to be conducted. I assume this is because they expect the majority of home owners to be at work or out, but what about the students?! Mid-morning & mid-afternoon are their main times for learning in the classrooms & that is when they are proposing to make the most noise! The Acoustic assessment also discusses vibration which “at levels high enough, has the potential to cause damage to structures and disrupt human comfort”. It also states “High noise generating activities such as jack hammering should only be carried out in continuous blocks, not exceeding 3 hours each”! I can’t imagine my child being able to concentrate in class while there is jack hammering for 3 hours straight!
It also states in the Acoustic assessment that “affected neighbours to the construction works would be advised in advance of the proposed construction period at least 1 week prior to the commencement of works”. What about the school if there are exams/assessments/presentations planned which would be planned way more than 1 week in advance! It is going to be disturbing just getting them to & from school with the trucks & trade vehicles will likely fill up the streets with the construction. This construction will be ongoing for years & can only see negative impacts to the students & their education. It is unfair that the High School students have not even been considered in this proposal & how the construction will affect them & their schooling. Lambton High is currently a high achieving school & this will only have negative impacts on our children & their education.
I have noticed that a large number of the Basketball community do not support the location either. Everyone agrees that a new Stadium is required but the location is not suitable. There should be room for expansion instead of being condensed in this small space. Basketball is increasing in popularity & this proposal does not seem like it would be able to support large tournaments. There is certainly not enough parking to support it! This is an extremely busy area with multiple sporting venues on the same busy road. It is already an absolute nightmare to find a park if there is more than one event on at one time & this proposal will only make it worse. There is also not enough funding to support the project- are they just going to leave it half done & finish it later? Where is the remaining $60 million plus coming from?!
Lambton High Public School has 1200 students making it one of the 45 largest schools in NSW. It will likely get larger with the proposed Broadmeadow housing developments. It is just ridiculous to take away land from the students that they utilise daily, leaving them with very little open space. Instead of looking out of the window & seeing lovely green fields, the children will in the future be staring at a construction site (with its own distractions) & the eventually a 17m high wall- possibly blocking sunlight and vitamin D.
Please keep our greenspace the way it is & find a more suitable location for the “Hunter Sports Centre”. This does not have to be located in Newcastle & was initially planned for Lake Macquarie! Preferably choose a location that has room for expansion & more car parking!

As a member of the Newcastle Basketball Association I am acutely aware of the need for a new indoor sports centre. The current facilities are not up to standard to grow and encourage sporting participation in the region.
A new facility in a central location like the one being proposed is well overdue!