Opposition of Forestville Hockey Club development fires up, Eloise Carey joins the campaign

Alex Carey’s wife Eloise is among growing voices in fierce opposition of a hockey club development on a suburban school campus, as a letter is sent to top state parliamentarians.

The wife of Test keeper Alex Carey, Eloise, is part of a community group taking its fight to against a suburban hockey club to the state government.

Ms Carey is one of seven members of a steering group of Kingswood and Netherby residents who have signed a letter to Premier Peter Malinauskas and other ministers pleading for intervention over Forestville Hockey Club’s plan to set up at Unley High School.

The club’s proposal – if approved by the Education Department and Mitcham Council – would result in a new 6000sqm synthetic grass pitch with floodlights, tech bench and dugouts, a clubroom, changerooms and liquor-licensed bar..

Eloise Carey is one of seven signatories on a letter to the state’s top parliamentarians opposing the Forestville Hockey Club development. Picture: Scott Barbour

Property records show the Careys own a nearby home. Alex Carey said he had no involvement in the campaign and Eloise declined to comment.

In February last year, the hockey club was promised $3m by Labor ahead of the state election to assist in a relocation from Goodwood Oval.

“It was a bad idea then and it remains a bad idea now,” the letter says.

Residents’ key concerns are over licensing for the venue, which would be used by the club on evenings and weekends, the installation of floodlights and its proximity to homes.

“We believe it will be obvious to anyone independent who visits this site that it is the wrong location for this development,” the letter reads

“(The development) will cause unacceptable disruption and loss of amenity for local families whose homes are only metres away.”

They have also raised concerns over increased traffic and parking congestion around the school.

The residents’ group has proposed a grass soccer pitch at the corner of Fullarton Rd and Cross Rd as an alternative location for the development.

Nick Harry represents a residents group opposing the Forestville Hockey Club development at Unley High School. Picture Dean Martin

Mitcham Council minutes reveal in principle support for development, dependant on consultation.

Club Treasurer Simon Marsh said he was aware of residents’ concerns and was factoring them into detailed plans to be ready for consultation in three months’ time “so that we can talk to (the community) about what will actually be delivered”.

“We‘re confident that we’re able to come up with a design that we can deliver that will respect local residents’ interests,” he said.

Concept images/plans for Forestville Hockey Club on the Unley High School campus. Pictures: Forestville Hockey Club website

Mr Marsh said the club had a long history of building strong community relationships and was “committed to being good neighbours”.

A state government spokesman said residents were encouraged to raise their concerns during the upcoming consultation.

“It is important that new infrastructure is for the benefit of those using it and for the broader community,” he said.

The Education Department and Mitcham Council were contacted for comment.