We need a new stadium. This new location is fantastic.

Need a new basketball stadium

I support the development

Please find attached my submission

T

See attached Venues NSW Submission Letter and Technical Review.

As a local resident and with experience in flood operations, I object to the development. I do understand the need for a new basketball stadium however I believe the location is not suitable due to flooding and traffic issues, and the loss of green space.

As it has been well documented, the area is prone to flash flooding. The most recent event was in May 2025 when the local roads were closed due to flooding. I was not even able to return home from work as I was unable to access my property safely.

Whilst the updated report has adjusted the plans in an attempt to minimise the consequences of flooding to the development, in reality the changes are not going to address the fact that continually developing in areas that are prone to flash flooding without properly addressing improvements to the surrounding infrastructure increases risk and the cumulative impacts for local residents.
It can flash flood very quickly in this location and whilst it has been noted that site management should consider the need to cancel or postpone events if a relevant severe weather warning is issued, there may not be enough time to initiate this and it is likely the venue would have staff and players onsite when flash flooding is occurring. Expecting numerous people, including children, to seek refuge within the site when it is flooding is a safety concern. As a local resident and with experience in flood operations, I often see people irresponsibly driving through flood waters in this area, which creates waves and issues for local residents. During the flash flood event in May 2025, my husband sent me a video from our property to show the flooding, and people were driving through the flood water. If there are basketball games on whilst it is flooding, parents and carers will be concerned for their children and are likely to make irrational decisions like driving through flood water.

I also have photo and video footage from a flash flood event in July 2020 when the flood water rose to the front steps of the property within an hour and this was just after an event at the McDonald Jones Stadium had ended, so were there numerous people in the area and people were irresponsibly driving through flood waters.

Local traffic and parking is already heavily congested on days with multiple sporting events. I note the updated report clarifies that overflow parking at McDonald Jones Stadium cannot be relied on and that local on street parking is sufficient for the larger basketball events that overlap with other sporting events. The local on street parking is already beyond capacity on days with events at McDonald Jones Stadium and Newcastle International Hockey Centre, and so I am not sure how it is expected to also cope with the additional demand of basketball events.

I also note the report mentions the use of parking on Monash Road but that neither council nor the project are accepting ownership of upgrading this section. I often see people irresponsibly parking along this road, either stopping in the middle of the road or parking badly to ‘quickly’ drop off or pick up their children, or walking along the road with their children, with no consideration for people driving along the road. To expect even more people to use this section of parking without a proper upgrade completely disregards the safety risk of this area.

Whilst not being associated with the local high school and sporting clubs, I understand their concerns re the removal of the greenspace. It is regularly used by the school and various sporting clubs and so replacing greenspace that is used for a variety of reasons with a stadium and courts that only caters for one sport does not seem to be consider the community or environment. Especially when the greenspace is a flood prone area.

I believe this development does not adhere to sound land use planning and flood risk management, and does not properly account for local traffic and parking management.