GAME CENTRE
25 October 2024
The Latest: Hunter Indoor Sports Centre Proposal
Newcastle Basketball is aware of a motion put forward for City of Newcastle (CN) to withdraw its support for the Hunter Indoor Sports Centre proposed site. We believe that support of this motion would have a devastating impact on our community.
Our current facility is 55 years old and is no longer fit for purpose. We have been told we have to vacate this site at the beginning of 2028 when our current lease expires to make way for the Broadmeadow Place redevelopment as a priority ‘first mover site’, leaving the 10,000 regular users in sports like basketball, volleyball and pickleball, plus school and community groups, without a place to go.
Since 2019, we have been on a journey to find a new home for this community of users. This has included searching all of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie LGA’s and spending almost $1 million on investigation and planning assessments for multiple sites. This work concluded that the only possible site for the Hunter Indoor Sports Centre is the one currently proposed. Although we understand many sites have been mentioned in the public discourse since then, none of these sites are realistically viable for us to consider at this stage of the process.
Even if another site was found, the time and cost to investigate, plan and design would mean the current State funding would be withdrawn and any hope of a new place to participate in indoor sport and community events would evaporate forever.
Newcastle Basketball formally lodged a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for the Hunter Indoor Sports Centre on September 20 which included 45 detailed reports as part of the submission, many of which were worked on in close consultation with CN.
We believe that the SSDA process should be allowed to run its course to determine if the project is indeed appropriate on the current site. With the interest and an expected high number of submissions that will be made, it is likely to be determined by an Independent Planning Panel. The process will ensure that everyone in the community will get to have their say.
This isn’t just about Basketball. As well as support from 2,000 people through online and paper petition, we have welcomed formal support from a range of stakeholders including CN and local community and state sporting organisations.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build an inclusive, modern sports facility that benefits the entire Hunter Region — one that supports women’s participation, disability sports, and promotes health and physical activity. Losing this project would be a devastating setback for the whole community.
As a not-for-profit, community-driven organisation, we care deeply about the concerns raised by the local community. We remain committed to ongoing dialogue to ensure this facility works for everyone.
We urge City of Newcastle to continue its support of this project and help us secure a future for indoor sports in the Hunter Region and the thousands of residents that depend on it.
For more information, including how you can show your support, visit our FAQs here.
