Penrith, Kogarah, Brookvale NRL ground upgrades under consideration

The Ber­ejiklian government will receive the business cases for three suburban stadiums by May. Take our poll.

Penrith has to be the “next stop” for investment in a suburban stadium, the Minister for Western Sydney has ­declared, as the NSW government weighs up a boutique sports grounds strategy.

It can be revealed the Ber­ejiklian government is set to receive the business cases for three suburban stadiums — Penrith, Kogarah and Brookvale — by May, with the ­advice set to guide further funding ahead of the budget.

Minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres told The Daily Telegraph he believed that over time there would be enough funding for each of the suburban grounds to be upgraded, but that Penrith presented the most compelling case as infrastructure that would transform Sydney.

Penrith Panthers Stadium.

Panthers fans at Panthers Stadium. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty

The suburban grounds strategy, which could redirect some funding saved from not proceeding with the ANZ Stadium redevelopment, understands that local grounds drive local economies and can ­deliver community benefits, including community facilities and cultural use.

Mr Ayres said the stadium strategy for Sydney had ­always been tied closely to the government’s Three Cities strategy, which made Penrith the obvious choice for the next investment.

“In the eastern city we’ve got the SCG and the new Sydney Football Stadium. In the central city (Parramatta) we’ve got Stadium Australia and Bankwest Stadium. In the western parkland city we have got a couple of old suburban grounds,” he said.

“There should be the ability for communities in each of those three cities to access world-class ­infrastructure and that’s why Western Sydney should be the next stop on what we do with our stadium investment.

Jubilee Oval, Kogarah. Picture: Brett Costello

St George Illawarra Dragons fans at Jubilee Stadium. Picture: AAP/ Craig Golding

“We know that the parkland city is going to have to sustain a larger population. That population should be able to access high quality, economy-driving entertainment facilities.”

Mr Ayres noted that the proximity of a Penrith stadium to the new Western Sydney airport was comparable to the proximity of the SCG to Mascot, and said the Penrith grounds were already located near transport.

He said there was “more than enough” funding over time to “deliver outcomes that suit all of Sydney”.

Am aerial view of Brookvale Oval. Picture: Mark Evans

“The economic opportunity and what you can bring to Western Sydney is vastly different to what you’re going to deliver at sites at Manly and Kogarah, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t get ­investment,” he said.

“It means they should get investment that’s commensurate to the activity that can happen there.”

He pointed to population growth, access to public transport and ability to attract ­additional investment as key elements that should prioritise Penrith.

The government is continuing to negotiate its memorandum of understanding with the NRL after it walked away from plans to upgrade ANZ last year.