Hunter Indoor Sports Centre (HISC)

The hunter needs a new basketball facility

As President of Lakers, Newcastle’s largest junior basketball club, I want to express my strong support for the Hunter Indoor Sports Centre proposal. Conversations about a venue like this have been happening since the 1990s and it is well past time that Newcastle receives the facility it deserves. While our city is one of the largest and fastest growing in the state, nearly every other major regional centre in New South Wales already has newer and better indoor sporting facilities that attract more activity, more events, and more opportunities for their communities. Newcastle has been left behind for far too long.

Every week I see firsthand the limitations our players, families, and coaches face due to a lack of suitable indoor facilities. The Newcastle Basketball Stadium is outdated, inadequate and soon to be demolished. This leaves thousands of young players with nowhere near enough courts to meet the growing demand. There are no other venues in the Newcastle or Lake Macquarie region capable of meeting this need. Each season, hundreds of kids are turned away from basketball in Newcastle simply because there are not enough places for them to play.

The Hunter needs a facility of this scale. A 12 court centre with a show court seating over 2,400 people would be a game changer not only for basketball but for many sports. Netball, volleyball, futsal, badminton, pickleball and more. The design of HISC also incorporates allied health, gym and function facilities, making it more than just a venue for sport, but a true community hub. Importantly it is designed with inclusivity and accessibility in mind, ensuring people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds can take part.

The benefits extend far beyond sport. This facility will strengthen community health, encourage physical activity, and provide safe, year round spaces for young people to train and compete. It will also create opportunities for major tournaments and events, boosting local businesses and supporting jobs through construction and ongoing operations. As part of the Hunter Park precinct, it will complement McDonald Jones Stadium and Newcastle Arena, helping to revitalise the entire area.

I acknowledge that concerns have been raised around traffic, parking, and flood management. From what I’ve seen the project team has proactively addressed these with updated site layouts, traffic and event management plans and flood mitigation strategies. While the loss of open green space is a consideration, the long term benefit of providing inclusive, multi-sport, weatherproof facilities for the entire community is far greater.

As a club, we are continually forced to make tough decisions about which children get to play and which do not. For a city the size of Newcastle this should not be the case. The Hunter Indoor Sports Centre will finally provide the infrastructure needed to match the passion and participation of our sporting community.

For these reasons I strongly urge the approval of this project. It represents an investment not just in basketball, but in the health, wellbeing, and future of the Hunter region.

Sincerely,

Doogie Marks
President
Lakers Basketball Club

This needs to happen for the hunter area

I object to the project at that location.

This stadium is desperately needed and it makes sense for it to be located within the existing sports precinct. Newcastle has lacked an adequate indoor sports facility for years - I fully support this proposal.

I believe there is a strong need in the Hunter region for indoor sports centres. My child is involved in many futsal competitions and my son is involved with basketball. It is hard enough that we don’t have any locations closer to home but at the very least we need something like this that can be used in the Hunter region.

I am extremely opposed to the development at this specific location. I do believe that a new stadium should be built, More research needs to be done in relation to the glendale stadium of excellence, specifically designed for such sporting events. I do not support the stadium being built in the location opposite McDonald Jones Stadium. I do not support for the following reasons: Severe parking impacts on nearby residents (Newcastle Basketball’s reports explicitly state that nearby streets can and will absorb traffic overflow). As a resident living on Bridges Road this will impact me directly. Traffic issues on Turton Rd from entry and exit of hundreds of vehicles to and from the stadium. Excabated by events held at McDonald Jones Stadium & The Newcastle hockey Centre Severe flooding impacts, the current ovals act as flood overflow and the 90% concrete replacing will cause flooding impacts on nearby residents in Monash Rd, Gloucester Ave, Duke St, Marina Ave etc which also impacts surrounding residents who use these roads to travel. I also have serious concerns that Newcastle Basketball cannot afford to build the stadium and will be reliant upon further funding sources. The impact of traffic and environment will fall even further down the list of maintenance for Newcastle City Council, state & federal funding Complete lack of initial consultation and subsequent poor community consultation in determining the site. Huge loss of green space. Loss of playing space for other sporting codes Loss of amenity for nearby residents Loss of evacuation space, playing space, recreation space for Lambton High School. Lambton HS students will be severely impacted by this change. All of these issues have been detailed well in a Newcastle Herald articles. I am not alone in my opinion. As a community rate paying member, my thoughts and opinions need to be heard & actioned on.

Pickleball is a growing sport which promotes agility, flexibility, reflexes, balance and hand-eye coordination, across all sections of the community. It is particularly attractive to senior members of the community as it also provides exercise and social engagement. Playing on indoor venues is also gentler on the body, which is important.
I currently play pickleball at a number of venues, including the Broadmeadow Basketball Stadium, several times per week. As the Stadium is scheduled to be demolished in a few years, I am heartened to see pickleball is included in consideration at the proposed new HISC. There is a great demand for indoor pickleball venues, which is only increasing, and the ability of the HISC to accommodate a large number of pickleball courts is encouraging.
Accordingly, I am very supportive of the proposed facility and hope that pickleball aspects continue to be well-represented in the final outcome.

Introduction
I am writing as a resident of Lambton, a parent of children who play basketball, and a basketball player myself, to express my strong support for the proposed Hunter Indoor Sports Centre (HISC). This development is not only overdue—it is essential for the future of sport, youth development, and community wellbeing in our region.

Why I Support This Project
1. Our Kids Deserve Better Facilities
Basketball is booming in Newcastle. As a parent, I’ve experienced firsthand the frustration of trying to register my children for teams, only to find spots filled within hours. The current stadium is outdated, overcrowded, and no longer fit for purpose. Our kids deserve safe, modern, and accessible facilities to train, compete, and grow.

2. A Home for the Basketball Community
As a player, I know how important it is to have a venue that fosters skill development, community connection, and pride. The proposed 12-court facility, including a show court, will finally give Newcastle basketball a home that reflects the passion and talent in our region. It will also allow us to host major events and attract national-level competition.

3. Central, Accessible, and Multi-Purpose
The proposed location is ideal—close to other sporting precincts, public transport, and schools. It makes smart use of land that is often flood-affected and underutilised. The design includes not just courts, but allied health suites, a gym, café, and social spaces that will benefit the wider community.

Addressing Concerns
I understand that some residents have concerns about traffic, noise, and green space. As a local, I believe these can be managed through thoughtful planning and community engagement. The benefits of this centre far outweigh the challenges, and I trust that the planning process will ensure these impacts are minimised.

Conclusion
This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a facility that meets the needs of thousands of players, families, and fans. It will inspire the next generation, support healthy lifestyles, and strengthen our community. I urge the Department to approve this development and help Newcastle basketball reach its full potential.

Sincerely,
Luke Miller
Resident – Lambton NSW
Basketball Player & Parent

This is long overdue and will be great for the Newcastle sporting community

The popularity of basketball by young and old humans in Newcastle and surrounds over the past 5-10 years is absolutely phenomenal. To have an outdated and run down stadium for use which is unfit for purpose is abomination. A new stadium that has addressed all the claims by those on the negative is needed at the location for the new spot is deemed safe traffic wise, important to fixing flood prone areas and will benefit the whole community and surrounds, not only for physical health and mental wellbeing but support our local professional teams and bring in new members and supporters.

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The location of this project is inappropriate given the adjacent high school's usage of the grounds and the already overloaded local road system due to the nearby sports stadium. Newcastle Basketball certainly needs a new facility but it cannot be built at the proposed location.

I have been involved in Futsal for many years and the sport has always struggled to find venues to play out of. This multi purpose centre would greatly improve the need for indoor venues in Newcastle.

If we do not go ahead with this project and can not see the bigger picture on the positives it will bring to Newcastle and it's sporting opportunities. Then I fear that we will be going backwards on supporting the community and children with making sport available for everyone. I STRONGLY support this project!

This indoor sporting facility is exactly what the Hunter Region is in desperate need of. I am very excited to see the plans and hope a facility like this is approved in the near future for my family to enjoy.

I strongly support this project.

There is clearly not enough room for this project at Lambton. More green space taken over by buildings. What would Jaffas and lambton high use as green space?? Why not go to Maryland where there is plenty of room.

The project is proposed in a green space currently used by local schools and has very limited parking competing with major stadiums and weekend sports.
Newcastle City Council only yesterday released a proposed sports precinct in vacant land in Maryland approx 7ks away from the original and proposed sites of the basketball stadiums.
Though earmarked for soccer fields, the location of the indoor sports facility would have greater parking and accessibility if relocated to the Maryland site.
NCC has said it will take up to 10years to develop this site, leaving it unused when this facility seems could be build in months/year or 2 as it’s ready to break ground.
Venues NSW Masterplan, did not include anything west on the otherside of the road adjoining MacDonald Jones Stadium and Hockey facilities.
The proposed Lambton site was selected purely by the previous NCC Mayor and current CEO without regard to the local residents and the associated traffic flow (rat runs) through the adjoining roads.
The reduced livability of Lambton,New Lambton and Broadmeadow is easily avoided by locating this facility to Maryland, which is also far more accessible and will not negatively impact residents as it’s serviced by main roads.
It’s shortsighted to place the facility in the proposed sites if Venues NSW is to continue the development of the sports precinct then it must either stay in its boarders of the main roads around the stadium or move the facility to a site that services all of NCC and provides suitable access.

The developer has quite clearly failed to adequately address traffic and drainage concerns.

As was shown, the developer relied on utilising the Hunter Stadium car park owned by Venues NSW, and yet failed to consult them. With the increased utilisation of Hunter Stadium for events, this car park will not be able to be used, forcing proposed users of the facility to either park on a very busy road, or force them into residential streets which are already narrow. The developer is also not proposing any additional traffic works external to the project to allow for the increase in traffic that would be a result of this project, which will surely result in an increase in accidents and possibly the loss of life.

The developer has also clearly failed to address the drainage concerns. By paving over as large an area as they are proposing, and providing inadequate drainage as is proposed, will result in increased localised flooding in an area already known for localised flooding, resulting in more adverse affects on residents.

I support the development of a new facility, but this is quite clearly the wrong location for it.