Northern Beaches Council has announced a detailed strategy providing a number of solutions to deal with the shortage of sporting fields, including upgrades to existing sports fields, synthetic sports grounds and a new priority allocation system.

Northern Beaches Council Administrator AM, Dick Persson said research and the views of the community had made it clear that there were not enough playing fields and the strategy should be acknowledged as “a real community outcome”.

“The sportsground strategy is a huge win for sport and all those that live and play here,” Mr Persson said. 

“It sets out unprecedented investment that will significantly increase the availability and quality of sporting fields and facilities, enabling more residents to be active more often.”

The Strategy provides a solid starting point to assist the new Northern Beaches Council in finding solutions and making decisions around the significant under-supply of sporting fields,” Mr Persson said.

In this 15 year strategy, Council will build new fields in Warriewood Valley and at Ingleside. Council will work with schools to facilitate access to their sports grounds for community sports and will install more synthetic surfaces at Lionel Watts Fields 3 and 4 and at Cromer Park Field 2 to maximise use of those grounds.

At other grounds Council will install new drainage and lighting and take other measures like reconfiguration to maximise the use of existing fields.

A focus of the community in the engagement of this Strategy was the future of Warringah Golf Course.

“I’m pleased to confirm that Warringah Golf Course will continue, however Council may need some of the course in the future and so will not be ‘locking up’ the northern half of Warringah Golf Course or Balgowlah Golf Course in long term leases.

Over the next five years while all other efforts are made to address the shortfall in supply Council will masterplan these sites and engage with the community on options for potential future Centennial Park style sporting areas.

“This is a balanced solution which provides more sporting fields and ensures at a minimum that Warringah Golf Course remains as a nine hole course.

Mr Persson said success of the strategy relied heavily on careful planning in the future and that Council will continue to work with government and other land owners on partnership arrangements for access as opportunities arise as well as sporting associations and the community.

“Major sporting groups, the Sporting Union and the community support these proposals that all alternatives to increase supply and capacity be implemented where feasible before proceeding with the conversion of golf courses,” he said.

“I encourage the incoming Council and our community to embrace the actions and ideas put forward in the Northern Beaches Sportsground Strategy”