Hunter Indoor Sports Centre (HISC)

A new mixed used indoor stadium is long overdue in the area. In particular, the absence of the amenities means that a number of children are unable to play basketball due to an insufficient number of courts.

We need a proper basketball facility in Newcastle and I think this project will be great for our kids future in sport.

Our current stadium is not fit for purpose, we need a new stadium to be able to participate, compete and keep this sport progressing in the Newcastle region.

Desperately needed! Please ensure Newcastle caters for ALL sports! The current stadium is bursting at the seams (literally) .

Much needed facility

This is so needed in our community to maximise wellbeing and equity for all

Newcastle needs this badly.

I support the new stadium location as a basketball family.

I fully support this new project

I support the new stadium

I’m pleased to make my second submission for Hunter Indoor Sports Centre (HISC) for Newcastle and the Hunter Region. It's really inconceivable that Newcastle being the 2nd largest city in NSW does not have an indoor sports centre for the youth of this wonderful city. This city is lacking continued availability for basketball, volleyball, pickleball, netball, futsal and badminton plus physical activity for all who participate and enjoy being healthy.
I have lived in Newcastle all my life and have visited every state for basketball with my own children and now grandchildren and I’m envious of the indoor facilities that metro and regional towns have. Newcastle is a fast moving city with a very proud community that love their sports but our own stadium’s roof leaks with any downpour and makes playing dangerous.
With over 5,500 members , the association offers domestic and representative competitions for both junior and adults plus development groups. At present the stadium cannot cope with the number of teams playing and with more children and adults wanting to play. This means that other venues i.e. Hunter Sports High School and Macquarie College has to accommodate these games during our junior competition.
Newcastle needs a Hunter Indoor Sports Centre badly and it's been a long ongoing battle.
A new HISC will bring a lot of sporting championships to our city which in turn brings travellers from within NSW and other states and money to our region.
This is a must for Newcastle and its further generations!

The sooner this is built the better

Go a head

Been personally playing and coaching for 12+ years and consistently travel interstate and am bewildered that smaller country towns have better and bigger stadiums!

I object to this project because of major parking problems already in this area. Flooding after heavy rain , there will be more rain filling the drain nearby. League parking all around the area now and imagine if both league and basketball on at the same time. It would be very kaotic.The loss of green spaces for local cricket and soccer . Loss of green space for local children to play. Loss of the ability for high school to use the fields for the pupils and the place they meet in emergencies for roll call.State government should look in surrounding areas where all these problems wouldn't affect it. This site is unacceptable for this development.

I am writing to object to the proposed development of a basketball stadium on [Name of Playing Fields].

1. Loss of Public Open Space and Recreational Land

The [Playing Fields] are currently zoned and used as recreational open space, providing critical community access to sport, play, and outdoor activity. Replacing them with a large-scale stadium would remove green space that is irreplaceable once developed. State and local planning strategies consistently identify the protection of open space as a priority to meet the recreation needs of a growing population.

2. Negative Impact on Children’s Play and Wellbeing

The fields provide opportunities for unstructured play, which is proven to support children’s physical, social, and mental development. Unlike a stadium (which primarily serves fee-paying, structured programs), open playing fields are inclusive and accessible to all children regardless of age, ability, or financial means. Removing these fields reduces opportunities for active play in a time of increasing concern over childhood inactivity and obesity.

3. Community and Club Displacement

The fields are heavily used by schools, local clubs, and community groups for training, weekend competitions, and casual sport. The proposed development would displace these groups, creating pressure on other already oversubscribed community sporting facilities. This runs counter to local council and state government commitments to encourage sport participation and grassroots club development.

4. Traffic, Congestion, and Amenity Impacts

A large stadium will generate significant traffic, parking demand, and noise, creating amenity issues for local residents and further reducing safe play space for children. The playing fields currently operate in a low-impact manner, open to the community without major traffic inflows.

5. Environmental and Urban Heat Considerations

Green playing fields provide essential environmental benefits, including stormwater absorption, biodiversity habitat, and mitigation of the urban heat island effect. Replacing them with a hard-surface stadium increases local heat, reduces natural drainage, and contradicts sustainability principles in planning policy.

6. Equity of Access

Playing fields are freely accessible public assets. A commercial or semi-commercial stadium model risks restricting access to those who can afford program or membership fees, excluding families with limited financial means. This raises issues of equity and fairness in the allocation of scarce community land.

7. Availability of Alternative Sites

There are other potential sites more suitable for a basketball stadium, including existing indoor sporting precincts, industrial or commercial zones, or redevelopment areas. The choice of playing fields for such a facility reflects poor land-use planning when alternative options are available that do not require the sacrifice of existing community open space.


The proposed stadium is inconsistent with planning objectives to:
• protect open space,
• promote community health and wellbeing,
• ensure equitable access to recreation, and
• plan sustainably for future growth.

For these reasons, I urge the Planning Committee to reject the proposal for a basketball stadium and instead pursue an alternative location that does not result in the permanent loss of vital community open space.

Yours sincerely,
Sally

Re: Objection to Proposed Basketball Stadium Adjacent to Lambton High School
Dear Planning Officer,
I am writing to formally object to the proposed development of a basketball stadium adjacent to Lambton High School, as outlined in the updated submission materials. Despite some revisions to the original proposal, my concerns remain unchanged, and I believe the development poses significant risks and adverse impacts on the local community, the environment, and especially on the staff and students of Lambton High School.
I have detailed my objections under the following categories:

1. Traffic and Parking
• The proposed plan allows for events of up to 1,700 attendees yet relies heavily on adjacent streets for overflow parking (see Table 6, p. 51 of the Response to Submissions Report).
• No traffic modelling or assessment has been provided to demonstrate whether these surrounding streets can support such volumes.
• The reintroduction of boom gates at the car park entrance and removal of the dedicated turning lane from Turton Road may result in significant traffic congestion (Appendix DD: Traffic and Event Management Plan).
• There is limited consideration of public transport accessibility or pedestrian and cyclist safety.
• Suggested off-site parking locations (e.g., McDonald Jones Stadium, Richardson Park, the Entertainment Centre, and Wanderers Oval) are largely unusable in wet weather conditions—again, this is noted in Appendix DD.
• Ongoing discussion of 80 parking spots on Monash Road continues despite Council's requirement for them to be tarred and guttered—Newcastle Basketball has stated they will not meet this condition.
2. Flooding and Stormwater Management
• Flooding issues remain unresolved. Risk management strategies focus on event attendees, not the surrounding residents.
• There is minimal assessment of how flooding will affect nearby streets and properties, particularly in light of increased rainfall and extreme weather events observed in 2025.
• Turton Road was closed during the last East Coast Low, highlighting real-world vulnerabilities.
• No explanation has been given for how the removal of natural green space (currently acting as an absorption zone) will impact stormwater runoff. Existing drainage already overflows quickly.
• The proposed flood detention basins will drain into a stormwater system that is already under strain.
• No consultation has been undertaken with residents, whose lived experience of flooding is critical in shaping realistic flood mitigation responses.
3. Social Impact
• The Response to Submissions Report claims there will be "no adverse environmental, social or economic impacts" (p. 95), which grossly underrepresents community concerns.
• The loss of accessible green space is brushed aside, with alternatives suggested that are either inappropriate or inaccurately represented as public green space (e.g., netball courts, bowling greens, hockey fields).
• There is an overemphasis on the stadium’s benefits while failing to meaningfully address the ongoing negative impact on local residents’ health, well-being, and quality of life.
• No accountability or monitoring framework exists for ensuring promised community benefits are delivered.
• Although community submissions raised mental and physical health concerns, the only mitigation offered was access to other ovals—many of which are not fit-for-purpose or easily accessible.
4. Impact on Lambton High School
• The loss of green space is particularly concerning for the school. Suggestions that students can use Arthur Edden and Harker Ovals are misleading, as these are locked and not guaranteed for school use. Has a formal access agreement been signed for daytime (9am–3pm) use, five days a week?
• The nearest available green spaces now require road crossings, increasing staffing burdens on already stretched teachers. This will limit student access to outdoor areas, particularly during lunch and breaks.
• Proponents argue students will benefit from access to the stadium—but students already have indoor basketball courts. They need grass, sunlight, and fresh air—not more hard surfaces.
• Sports like soccer and football, highly popular in Newcastle, cannot be played in an indoor stadium.
• The building height has increased—what analysis has been done regarding shading impacts on school grounds?
• Construction noise (7am–6pm, Monday–Friday) will occur just 6m from the school boundary. This will create constant disruption over three years. What mitigation is planned? Will construction be paused during exams or assessments?
• The stadium will present a visual wall in place of previously open green space—what consideration has been given to its psychological and visual impact?
• No emergency evacuation point has been identified, raising further concerns about student safety.
5. Visual Impact
• The visual impact on local residential units has not been properly assessed.
• No analysis has been conducted on the visual and environmental impact the development will have on the school community itself.
6. Community Concerns and Engagement
• The City of Newcastle has stated it does not intend for the facility to operate as a shared community space (Section 3.1.3).
• Stakeholders identified include Newcastle Basketball, Lambton High P&C, and Council—but not Lambton High School itself, nor the NSW Department of Education.
• How can a development directly adjacent to a public school proceed without proper consultation with the primary education authority involved?
7. Financial Uncertainty
• No current costing has been provided. The last public budget was $91 million and only covered expenses through the end of 2025.
• There is a significant risk that the development will be delayed or stalled due to funding gaps—potentially resulting in an incomplete structure impacting the area for years.

Final Remarks
This submission builds upon my earlier objections, which remain unaddressed. The revised plans do not mitigate the key issues raised, and in some cases (such as traffic design and flood management), they raise new concerns. The stadium's placement next to a high school, in a flood-prone, residential area with limited infrastructure, remains inappropriate and unsustainable.
I urge the planning department to seriously reconsider this proposal, taking into account the full scope of its impact—not just on event attendees or project stakeholders, but on the everyday lives of students, teachers, local families, and residents who will bear the consequences for decades.
Thank you for considering my submission.
Yours sincerely,
Connie Martinelli

Newcastle desperately needs a new basketball stadium.
The location is ideal in that it is close to public transport & in an area with other sporting facilities.

Newcastle needs a national standard facility. The children of this area are in dire need of it. Being accessible to public transport is a plus. The location of other sporting facility’s near by sets a precedence for the basketball stadium. I’m in favour of the location being put forward.

I am writing as a proud member of the Newcastle community and as a parent of five active children who have grown up playing local sport. I wish to offer my strong support for the proposed Hunter Indoor Sports Centre (HISC) State Significant Development Application (SSDA).

Our current basketball stadium, while it has served us for many years, is clearly no longer fit for purpose. Ageing facilities, limited court space, and weather-related disruptions make it increasingly difficult for children and families to stay involved in indoor sports year-round. For a growing city like Newcastle, the need for a modern, accessible, and all-weather facility has never been greater.

The HISC represents an exciting opportunity to invest in the long-term health and vibrancy of our community. It’s not just about basketball—this centre will support a wide range of indoor sports, including futsal, pickleball, volleyball, netball, and tennis. That kind of multi-sport capability makes it a genuine community hub—welcoming people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.

One of the most heartbreaking things as a parent is seeing children turned away or missing out on sport because of lack of space. The expanded court capacity at the HISC will change that. It means more kids staying active, more families engaged in healthy routines, and fewer barriers to participation.

Beyond the physical benefits, this facility promises broader social impact. It provides a safe, inclusive space where young people can belong, grow, and find positive pathways. It supports mental health, builds social bonds, encourages diversity, and nurtures local talent in a region that is brimming with potential.

I urge the decision-makers to see this development not just as an infrastructure project, but as a vital investment in the wellbeing and future of Newcastle. The HISC will be a legacy for generations to come, and I wholeheartedly support its approval.

Sincerely,
Newcastle Resident and Parent