At the 15 September 2020 Ordinary Meeting of Council, in-principle support was provided to enter discussions with the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) to deliver new sports facilities (netball and cricket) at Sandringham College, Holloway Road campus.

The proposal would see Council provide $15 million to deliver at least two indoor courts, nine outdoor courts and a sportsground at the College. Should the discussion with VSBA be successful, the College site will replace the planned netball centre at Wangara Road.

Netball is the most popular female team sport across Australia and participation has more than doubled in Bayside since 2010. Nearly 2,500 registered players from 12 clubs play on Sandringham District Netball Association’s (SDNA) existing seven courts at Thomas Street Reserve - six outdoor and one indoor.

The significant growth means players miss out each week due to lack of courts and adequate court lighting. Games are shorter than the national standard and team numbers are capped.

The SDNA is the only netball association in Victoria who has had to place restrictions on its membership based on location of work, residence or school. Council is committed to providing appropriate facilities to encourage an active community and to addressing historical underinvestment in netball.

The Centre will provide significant benefit to Sandringham College Students and Council is negotiating/discussing with the VSBA regarding options for the facility to service and support cricket within Bayside.

Feedback collected will be used to develop the concept plan for the site.

We will finalise the design in early 2021 before construction commences in mid - late 2021.

Under Council’s Residential Parking Scheme eligible households can obtain a visitor parking permit (an annual cost is determined by Local Laws Team). There are two parking permit options that residents can apply for:

Option 1

Four free resident parking permits:

• Additional resident parking permits can be purchased for a fee. These permits are valid for 3 years.

• Visitor parking permits are not available.

Option 2

Three free resident parking permits, plus one visitor parking permit for $81:

• Additional resident parking permits can be purchased for a fee. These permits are valid for 3 years.

• One visitor parking permit per household will be issued. This permit is valid for 3 years from the month they are purchased.

Tradespersons can apply for:
A parking permit for a maximum of 3 weeks at any one time and for a maximum of 3 vehicles, at a fee.

Traffic management investigations have recommended several strategies to ensure the safety of pedestrians and vehicles on-site and in the immediate vicinity of the site.

Consideration to staggered start times to minimise overlap demands and the onsite car park will be configured for one-way (eastbound) traffic with entry via Holloway Road and exit via Wangara Road. This will slow traffic movements and deter the occurrence of vehicles turn right from Holloway to Bluff Road.

This information is available to view in the traffic management report uploaded to the traffic assessment report tab on this page.

The proposed site plans have included approximately 98 car parks on the school site with overflow parking available at the existing carpark at the Wangara Road site and on-street parking on Wangara Road and the non-residential section of George Street between Bay and Wangara roads.

A preliminary traffic assessment has recommended changes to the current parking conditions to ensure vehicles associated with the netball centre utilise the ‘suitable’ parking spaces on site. This includes:

• Permit Zone 4pm-9pm Monday to Friday and 8am-5pm Saturday and Sunday one side of the street
• 1hour parking 4pm-9pm Monday to Friday and 8am-5pm Saturday and Sunday other side of the street
• Existing parking restrictions outside of these times would remain as they are now

We have uploaded an example of the restrictions proposed under the traffic assessment report tab on this page.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of restricted movement on current traffic, the traffic management report has been developed based on several assumptions. The traffic volume data has been collated from the Wangara Road site modelling and using Department of Transport historical information. This data was used to get a better understanding of typical traffic patterns the surrounding area prior to impacts of COVID-19. Once we return to normal levels of traffic, Council will undertake further analysis of the roads.

We have uploaded a concept site layout plan to give you an indication of where the proposed courts will be positioned. Click to the tab across to view the PDF.

The specific location and height of lights will be determined during the design process and will be subject to court layout and meeting all relevant Australian standards.

It is proposed that court lighting will operate between 5 – 9.30pm Monday to Friday and to supplement light from 5 – 8.30pm on weekends. Other considerations:

• Modern court lighting systems globes and reflectors are designed to direct light to the court surface only, with minimal light spill and glare outside of this area.
• The effect of the directional lighting creates a dome like effect over the court and the light spill is less than the glare from a mobile phone.

We have uploaded an image of netball court lighting to this page to give you an indication of what the courts will look like at night.

The following steps will be taken to mitigate noise, including:

• Complying with EPA noise regulations through volume management of audible systems
• Minimise use of whistles during evening training sessions
• Where possible landscaping will be included to reduce the impact of noise

Where possible Council will consider screening through planting to create more of a barrier to the site.

Construction is carried out by following the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) guidelines and legislation.

Sports facilities generate a level of noise from their activities and steps will be taken to mitigate this by complying with EPA noise regulations through volume management of audible systems and minimising the use of whistles during training. We have uploaded a report from Netball Victoria that demonstrates the whistle regulations that will be adhered to during play.

Council is working within the Victorian School Building Authority’s (VSBA) timelines to ensure that the proposal for Council to fund sports facilities can be delivered with the School’s current building works package. This opportunity required Council to act quickly if it was to secure agreement to the proposal. The proposed sports centre at the College does not require a Town Planning Permit and it is VSBA’s intent to finalise design for this project in late 2020 and commence construction in mid-2021.

There were nine other sites across the municipality which were considered for the proposed Netball Centre. Please refer to the Council resolutions here for the full Council Report which outlines the other sites considered and how the conclusion was reached.

The current netball centre at Thomas Street will remain in place until the completion of the new centre at Holloway Road, following which the site will be repurposed for open space use.

Subject to the outcomes of Council's proposal to fund new community and sports facilities at the Sandringham College Holloway Road, the future use of the Wangara Road site is now on hold and will be considered through a future master planning process. Sign up to be kept informed here.

Any negotiations with the lessee are commercial in confidence.