This coming Tuesday, the Geelong Council will be noting plans they have formed for the 45 hectare Council owned land near the Bellarine Seconary College for a major sports area. Details from the agenda which is a 9mb pdf file are reproduced below:
DRYSDALE/CLIFTON SPRINGS SPORTS PRECINCT MASTER PLAN
Portfolio: Infrastructure, Parks & Gardens - Cr Richards
Sport & Recreation - Cr Mitchell
Source: Projects, Recreation & Central Geelong
General Manager: Dean Frost
Index Reference: Project: Drysdale/Clifton Springs Regional Cultural & Community Hub/Drysdale Sports Precinct Master Plan
Property: ID#338688
Summary
- The Drysdale/Clifton Springs Sports Precinct Master Plan was initiated to plan for the future development of a 45 hectare vacant parcel of Council owned land located south east of the Portarlington and Grubb Road intersection. The land is adjacent to a set of community and school facilities including the Potato Shed, Bellarine Secondary College, St Ignatius College and St Thomas Primary School.
- The Master Plan recommends that this land is used to provide for the future recreational needs to Drysdale/Clifton Springs and in time will become a Subregional Sports Precinct capable of providing facilities to communities on the Bellarine Peninsula.
- The plan ensures the long-term sport and recreational aspirations of the active sport groups, schools and local residents are taken into consideration.
- The Drysdale/Clifton Springs Sports Precinct Master Plan contains staged development recommendations that will significantly enhance this undeveloped reserve and will ensure the Recreation and Open Space needs of its continued role in the Drysdale/Clifton Springs community are met.
Recommendation
That Council:
1) Note the Drysdale/Clifton Springs Sports Precinct Draft Master Plan
2) Release the Drysdale/Clifton Springs Sports Precinct Draft Master Plan for public comment for a period of six weeks.
Report
Background
The Bellarine Peninsula Leisure and Recreation Needs Study 2005 and the City of Greater Geelong Study of Open Space Networks 2002 established recommendations relating to the provision of new facilities and enhancement and improvement of existing recreation spaces within the Drysdale and Clifton Springs area. Unfortunately the Jetty Road growth area and infill areas provide minimal opportunity to provide all the required active recreational spaces needs.
Council owns a piece of land that is historically known as the 'sub regional centre' located south east of the Portarlington Road intersection. The area already contains a number of community facilities including public and private schools and a community arts centre (i.e. Potato Shed). The 45 hectare vacant parcel of Council owned land is a major asset and presents a significant opportunity to build on the existing site facilities.
It is recommended this land be identified to provide future recreational (sporting fields and multi purpose sports centre) and community facilities (i.e. youth services and a further expansion of emergency service facilities). It is recognised that this site is isolated from the existing community and the future development of the regional cultural and community hub will need to ensure that safe and efficient pedestrian and cycle links are provided across Andersons Road and Portarlington Road, particularly when the Bypass is in place.
The Drysdale/Clifton Springs Structure Plan 2009 recommends this site be rezoned to a Special Use zone to exempt permit requirements for community uses.
The purpose of the draft Master Plan process is to ensure the long-term development aspirations of the active sport in the Drysdale/Clifton Springs area, schools, community centres and local residents are taken into consideration in the further design development of this piece of land.
Discussion
A Master Plan for the development of a sub-regional sports precinct in Drysdale at the 45ha site bounded by Peninsula Drive, Andersons Road, Grubb Road and Belchers Road has been drafted. The draft Master Plan provides for a range of current and future sporting needs of the Bellarine Peninsula, reinforcing the directions set by the Recreation and Leisure Needs Study (2005) and the Drysdale/Clifton Springs Structure Plan (2009).
This draft Master Plan is designed to be implemented over many years and involves significant development of a range of sporting facilities, supporting infrastructure and informal recreation facilities. With three schools located in the adjacent precinct and within walking distance of the proposed sporting facilities, the potential for an affective partnership between the schools, the community and the City of Greater Geelong is very strong. Such partnerships would see schools using the sports precinct during school hours for various programs and events and the community accessing some school recreation facilities outside of school hours to complement the sports precinct facilities.
Specific issues that have been addressed through the preparation of the draft Master Plan include:
- Providing additional sporting facilities to relieve the pressure on existing facilities as well as responding to projected population growth and particularly providing for increased junior participation;
- The need to plan and construct facilities using environmentally sensitive design principles, including use of synthetic surfaces and water treatment approaches that make the site as self-sufficient as possible for irrigation purposes;
- Complementing sporting facilities with a range of informal recreation features that encourage families to spend time at the site participating in healthy physical activity;
- Ensuring construction of quality buildings that are multi-use, provide for all users and sited to consolidate storage, change, clubroom, public toilet and social meeting facilities in a minimum number of built structures;
- Providing good traffic and pedestrian management both into and throughout the precinct, ensuing safety and good access; and
- The development of a prioritised implementation plan so that projects are ready to proceed and funding avenues can be explored as they become available.
A review of research and participation trends has reinforced the need for the sports precinct to provide ovals, rectangular playing fields, running tracks, indoor courts, to cater for athletics, cricket, football, soccer, netball and tennis. The provision of large open areas for training and competition allows for numerous rectangular and oval sports to be played as trends and demands change over time. Indoor sports that require increased stadium facilities for the future include basketball, netball, futsal, badminton and volleyball.
The draft Drysdale/Clifton Springs Sports Precinct Master Plan is based on a strong framework of multi-use, sharing and flexible design, ensuring that the precinct caters for current sport and recreation pursuits and other activities that may emerge over time.
It will be important to maximise community benefit by encouraging many groups and individuals to make use of the facilities.
The design principles have underpinned the preparation of the draft Master Plan includes:
- Provide for current and future sports demands on the Bellarine Peninsula;
- Provide built infrastructure to support sporting activity;
- Encourage informal recreation activity by the general community;
- Develop partnerships for capital development and ongoing management;
- Create safe access and integrated movement through the site; and
- Promote the natural environment and sustainable development.
The staged implementation of this Master Plan is outlined as follows:
Stage 1
- Access road and initial car park
- Premier level planning field with lights
- Multi-use rectangular playing/training field with lights
- Stage 1 of main pavilion with associated services to the site
- Initial pathways, signage and landscaping
- Estimated cost: approximately $3,048,297
Stage 2
- Further access road and car park development
- Three rectangular playing fields
- Main pavilion stage 2
- Multi-use pavilion for rectangular fields
- Play space
- Cricket Training Nets
- Biofiltration Swale and water storage
- Further development of pathways, signage and landscaping
- Estimated cost: approximately $7,665,729
Stage 3
- Athletics Field, Sprint Track and Rectangular Field
- Fire Training Track
- Completion of all car parking and access roads
- Multi-use courts with lights and fencing
- Additional multi-use playing field to the south of the site
- Event Infrastructure Point
- Shared use perimeter pathway
- Park and Picnic furniture
- Completion of pathways, signage and landscaping
- Estimated cost: approximately $3,945,480
Stadium Extension:
- Three additional courts as an extension on to the Bellarine Secondary College stadium. Priority of this project to be referred to the Indoor Sports Facility Feasibility Project. This project is currently underway.
- Estimated cost: approximately $7,333,902
Traffic Management:
- Upgrade of Peninsula Drive North to widen road and extend car parking
- Construction of Peninsula Drive South to extend the road through to Belchers Road
- Upgrade of belchers Road from Grubb Road to Peninsula Drive
Priority of for the traffic management projects would be subject to monitoring of peak traffic load. Estimated cost of all three projects listed above is approximately $7,700,000.
In conclusion, the implementation of this Master Plan will ensure that adequate facilities are developed to cater for the long term sport and recreation needs of the Bellarine Peninsula communities.
Financial Implications
The implementation plan provides a broad estimate of costs specific to each of the recommended actions. These actions are assessed as Mandatory, Critical, High, Medium and low to guide Council decision making in terms of development. There are no mandatory or critical works connected with draft Master Plan. The total cost of all works is estimated at $9.5 million and is represented below in the prioritised breakdown.
Draft Master Plan Actions
- Mandatory = $0
- Critical = $0
- High = $3,048,297
- Medium = $7,665,729
- Low = $3,945,480
- Total = $14,659,506
Other Actions listed in the draft Master Plan
- Stadium, Extension = $7,333,902
- Traffic Management = $7,700,000
Where implementation of specific recommendations requires a new capital allocation from Council, these will be presented and considered as part of the overall annual budget process. Opportunities for co-contributions from State Government & Clubs are listed against specific projects in the Master Plan.
Whilst the adoption of this report does not have any direct financial implications, the listed actions within the plan will cost in the order of $9.5 million. It is expected that the Master Plan will be implemented over a 15-20 year timeframe. Escalation costs will need to be considered in future implementation phases.
Policy/Legal/Statutory Implications
In accordance with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 any new infrastructure or amenity within draft Drysdale/Clifton Springs Sports Precinct Master Plan will aim to, as far as possible, refrain from discrimination against persons on the ground of disability in the areas of work, accommodation, education, access to premises, clubs and sport; and the provision of goods, facilities, services and land.
The Drysdale/Clifton Springs Sports Precinct Master Plan recognises that all community members have equal rights to participate in and enjoy the benefits of sport and physical activity. The development of the reserve will consider design solutions to help facilitate access for all.
Officer Direct or Indirect Interest
No Council staff or persons engaged under contract have a direct or indirect interest in the development of the Drysdale/Clifton Springs Sports Precinct Master Plan.
Risk Assessment
The draft Drysdale/Clifton Springs Sports Precinct Master Plan provides guidance for the development of this important piece of open space over the next 15-20 years. There are no immediate risks associated with this report. Appropriate risk management measures will be put in place when implementing the recommendations of the report.
Social Considerations
The Drysdale/Clifton Springs Sports Precinct Master Plan recognises that participation in sport and physical activity brings about a range of personal, social, health and economic benefits for individuals and communities.
Drysdale/Clifton Springs Sports Precinct Master Plan recognises that supporting formal sporting clubs is not just about participation in physical activity. Sporting clubs are recognised as providing a range of broader benefits to the community, including contributions to social capital, community cohesiveness, and community connection and building local leaders.
Environmental Implications
The Drysdale/Clifton Springs Sports Precinct Master Plan seeks to support initiatives that facilitate long-term environmental sustainability within the reserve, including water use (and re-use), vegetation improvement and ongoing maintenance.
The Drysdale/Clifton Springs Sports Precinct Master Plan recognises that the community values the sporting field and overall amenity of the reserve. Future development will seek to protect the value of the reserve, enhance the landscape quality of the reserve, promote accessibility and improve facilities, infrastructure and functioning for the broader community.
Communication
The preparation of the Drysdale/Clifton Springs Cultural and Community Hub Sub-Regional Sports Precinct Master Plan has been managed by a three tiered management structure. These included:
- Project Control Group (PCG) consisting of key Recreation and Open Space, Planning, Parks, Social Planning and Arts and Culture Council Officers and the Ward Councillor to provide high level strategic direction on key issues, opportunities and approve reports;
- Project Working Group (PWG) consisting of Council officers from across CoGG departments (Recreation and Open Space, Engineering, Community Development, Building, Planning, Capital Projects, Arts and Culture, Events and Marketing, Facilities Maintenance, Environment and Natural Resources and Parks) and relevant external agencies to provide technical advice on the project; and
- Project Reference Group (PRG) consisting of representatives from existing groups in the Drysdale area including Football, Football Netball, Cricket, Netball, Pony Club, Tennis, Fire Brigade training, Bowls and Croquet, Sport fishing, Little and Senior Athletics, Soccer, Senior Citizens, Community Centre, Community Association, Landcare, Ambulance, SES and Bellarine Community Health. In addition to these groups, the six local schools - primary and secondary have also guided the development of the master plan through membership on the PRG.
The planning process involved a comprehensive review of background material and the establishment of the stakeholder reference groups as outlined above to guide the planning process. The project has involved extensive consultation with stakeholders, Council staff and key community groups. As this is a greenfield site and there are no current tenants, the consultation process has been quite broad to understand all the local needs and demands for sub-regional sporting facilities.
The main consultation tasks have included:
- Establishment of the Project Control Group, Project Working Group and Project Reference Group. These groups have met on a minimum of two occasions each in the lead up to this report;
- Meetings with the schools and Potato Shed representatives;
- Meetings with groups as part of the PRG meetings;
- Site visits;
- Telephone interviews with peak bodies, agencies and relevant associations and organisations; and
- Submissions from residents and community groups that were invited through the promotion of the project.
Over 50 individuals / organisations have provided input to the development of the draft Master Plan. A summary of consultation results and key findings are included in the draft Master Plan (Section 5). The consultation results have been used to identify significant issues and major themes for consideration in the Master Plan.
All avenues of local media will be utilised to highlight the public exhibition of the draft Master Plan. This includes media release, Community Update, notification to all key stakeholders and promotion through the Springdale Neighbourhood Centre.
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