Dear WSJCC members and parents,
We are reaching out to inform you of a significant development affecting our club and to request your support. Plans are underway to construct a new indoor basketball stadium on Wallarah and Blackley Ovals – grounds that are crucial to our club’s operations and to our players’ experience. WSJCC is opposing this development, given the severe impact this project will have on our capacity to continue providing high-quality junior cricket for future seasons.
As WSJCC’s leadership, we plan to make a formal submission against this project, emphasising the importance of these grounds to our club’s future and the broader community. However, we are just one voice. A strong collective response from our WSJCC community will strengthen our case. If you feel strongly about preserving these ovals for WSJCC and ensuring future generations have the space to play, we encourage you to make an individual submission opposing the development. You can submit your comments via the NSW Planning Portal. The deadline for submissions is in 14 days.
To help articulate the importance of retaining these grounds, here are the key reasons for our opposition:
Inadequate social impact assessment
The Social-Economic Impact Assessment (SEIA) for the project has not sufficiently addressed the effect that displacing WSJCC will have on our club and community. SEARS Item 17, which requires the SEIA to evaluate social consequences, has not been met. There has been no effort to recognise or mitigate the loss our players, families, and community will face.
WSJCC’s role and growth in the community
WSJCC is one of Newcastle’s fastest-growing junior cricket clubs. With 24 teams and over 275 junior players, along with a thriving Blasters programme, the club provides sporting and community engagement opportunities for children throughout the region. Losing these grounds will not only limit our current capacity but will also hinder our ability to accommodate new members, particularly as population growth brings more families to the area.
Misclassification of ground utilisation
The SEIA misclassifies Wallarah and Blackley Ovals as “underutilised” based on flawed analysis from the City of Newcastle’s Sporting Strategy (2020), which measured usage for winter sports rather than peak summer usage. Grounds used less than 25 hours a week are considered underutilised; however, junior cricket, which takes place outside school hours, cannot meet this threshold. WSJCC relies on these grounds daily during summer, and further loss of field space will add to the existing pressure on facilities, affecting both training quality and player experience.
Inadequate consultation and misrepresentation of cricket's support
As the major summer user of Wallarah and Blackley Ovals, WSJCC was not consulted directly on the development plans. Instead, Cricket NSW (CNSW) was consulted on behalf of the cricket community, yet failed to represent WSJCC’s concerns accurately. CNSW provided support for the project, ignoring the stance of junior cricket and leaving WSJCC’s opposition unaddressed. The Newcastle District Cricket Association who administers the senior competition in Newcastle has also put its support behind the redevelopment. The NDCA does not represent the interests of junior cricketers in the area. This lack of direct consultation and transparency has given a misleading impression of cricket community support for the development.
Insufficient replacement grounds
The proposed “like-for-like” grounds are neither equivalent in quality nor proximity. These alternatives lie outside WSJCC’s catchment area, creating accessibility challenges. Moreover, the net loss of grounds is especially concerning given the 60,000 additional homes planned for Broadmeadow and Adamstown. As the local population expands, WSJCC will struggle to meet future demand without adequate field space, diminishing opportunities for junior cricket.
Lack of inclusive sports facilities in the new development
While the EIS claims that the new facility will benefit local sports by providing access to regional indoor facilities, there has been no provision for WSJCC training or matches. Adding cricket nets or outdoor training space could have mitigated some of our concerns, but these options were not included. This represents a missed opportunity for a multi-sport design that could accommodate cricket’s ongoing needs.
Thank you for your attention to this pressing matter. The future of WSJCC depends on access to safe, local green spaces like Wallarah and Blackley Ovals. Your voice is vital, and we encourage those who feel strongly about retaining these grounds for cricket to submit feedback via the NSW Planning Portal before the deadline.
Thank you for supporting WSJCC and helping us preserve our club’s future.
WSJCC Committee
29 October 2024
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