I am writing to submit my OBJECTION to SSD-65595459 Hunter Indoor Sports Complex (HISC), for the reasons attached with this submission.

I support a new indoor sports centre in Newcastle. It would boost the local economy, attract tourism, support youth development, and promote healthy lifestyles. The location would establish Broadmeadow as a vibrant sports hub.

I support the project

I strongly oppose the development of the Hunter Indoor Sports Centre in the proposed location on the ovals at New Lambton for the following reasons;
Lack of Parking & Traffic Congestion

I am an avid hockey player and train and play at the adjacent hockey fields. This precinct is very busy, particularly when an event is held at the McDonald Jones stadium. I usually have trouble parking on site and try and park in the local streets – sometimes the nearest available parking spot is up to one kilometre away!

There are often traffic snarls in the area and pedestrians walk on the streets due to inadequate footpaths – there is a serious risk to public safety if further traffic was introduced to the area.

Destruction of Green Space
It is appalling that this development will result in the destruction of valuable community green space. These ovals are significant assets of the community – they are used by the local high school, sporting groups, local families & other community members. The ovals contribute to the aesthetic of the area, help in times of local flooding & provide habitat for birdlife.
Newcastle is a growing city and community green space is a prized commodity that can be used by all community members as well as providing abundant environmental benefits that cannot be ignored in times of adverse climatic changes.

Conclusion
I strongly oppose the development of the Hunter Indoor Sports Centre in the proposed location and urge you to consider more suitable sites.

The progression of this project is critical for the basketball community, which is growing at a significant rate. The proposed location is ideal and within an existing sporting precinct with access to public transport. Newcastle desperately needs this facility. This sport provides enormous economic, health and wellbeing outcomes for the local community.

I strongly object to the development of the Hunter Indoor Sports Centre (HISC) at the proposed Monash / Wallarah Road Lambton site as the site is totally unsuitable for the following reasons;

1. Flooding
The site regularly floods after heavy downpours. Building a stadium on this site would be negligent as follows:
a. The EIS suggests that site management should cancel or postpone events if a relevant severe weather warning is issued by the BoM (EIS page 87). Spending such vast sums of money on a stadium on this site when it will not be an “all weather” venue seriously lacks merit.
b. The EIS refers to the need to instal bollards to prevent vehicles from being washed into Ker-rai Creek & other key drainage infrastructure (Appendix C, Risk & Mitigation Measures report, page 11 and Appendix CC Torrent Consulting report, page iii). I submit that this site is not suitable if such drastic measures are required.
c. The EIS states that this site poses a ‘medium’ threat to people/property in the event of a flood (Risk & Mitigation Measures report (appendix C, page 11). I submit that this risk rating is too high to be justified and confirms that this site is not suitable.

2. Loss of green open space
The ovals that will destroyed by this development are a much-loved community asset – used by a diverse range of people for sporting and recreation purposes, including students at Lambton High School.
An asset should not be destroyed to be replaced with, what many in the local community regard as a liability, and only available to a select sporting group.
This highly valued green space will even increase further in value as the population of the area grows.
This green space provides a sponge to alleviate flooding in times of high rainfall. Green space once destroyed is irretrievable and its loss will adversely add to the urban heat effect.

3. Traffic & Parking
There are already two (2) other major venues (McDonald Jones Stadium & Newcastle International Hockey Centre) across the road from this site. My husband plays hockey at the Hockey Centre and we regularly experience issues with both traffic & parking when we attend this venue. Building another major venue on this site will exacerbate existing traffic & parking problems that escalate when events are held at these venues simultaneously.
The Risk & Mitigation Measures report (appendix C, pages 2 & 3) states that the risk of vehicular accidents and injury arising from unsafe access to the proposed site is ‘medium’. This rating is too high as to justify building the stadium on this site.

Conclusion
I do not support this site for the basketball stadium as it seriously lacks merit.

I object to the project at that location.

The proposed location of this Centre makes no logical sense at all.
Multiple stakeholders; residents, the High School, and local soccer and cricket associations have made reasonable and valid objections to this proposal.
As a High School Geography Teacher and parent of children at Lambton High School, I would cite this whole saga as an example of ill-informed planning and an acute lack of community consultation. It's not at all sustainable; rather, a vanity project which holds little regard for the social, economic and environmental impacts of this development.
As many others have said; yes, a new stadium is needed. However, not in this location. You have the resources. Do better. Do your job.

I object to this project as cricket and soccer will be loosing their grounds to another sport. High school will loose their green space. And the area is already over loaded with parking and traffic issues. And flooding in times of inclement weather. Knights , hockey supporters fill the local streets as they don't have enough parking. Residents are impacted by cars parking across driveways , parking to close to corners etc etc Also we need to keep our green spaces for our children to play in on weekends when not used by sporting clubs.