NSW Rugby Union given approval to hold suburban games after council planning battle, opposition from schools, residents

A council’s bid to stop junior and school rugby union games being held on a sports oval in Sydney’s east has been dealt a blow after a long-running planning stoush that drew the involvement on nearby schools, residents and local politicians.

A council’s bid to stop junior and school rugby union games being held on a sports oval in Sydney’s east has been dealt a blow after a long-running planning stoush that drew the involvement on nearby schools, residents and local politicians.

NSW Rugby Union has had a legal win against Bayside Council over its proposal to hold suburban rugby union games at a playing field next to the NSW Rugby Centre of Excellence in Daceyville.

The win in the Land and Environment Courts means up to 12 public rugby union events will be able to be held each year for pathway and junior programs.

The council had refused the proposal due to gripes over “noise” impacts, potential traffic congestion, and carparking issues which the council claimed could impact residential amenity.

The principals of two local schools including St Michael’s Catholic Primary also objected to the plans due to concerns increased traffic on roads and the “safety of 900-plus students” who attend schools in the surrounding area.

A photo of the playing field.

There were also a pile on of criticism from residents and a local MP who claimed the proposal could cause “heritage impacts” on nearby homes.

NSW Rugby Union chief executive Paul Doorn has previously defended the proposal, saying the games would “celebrate and grow the sport of rugby” in the local community.

He said the games would not be ticketed for elite, professional or Waratahs events but rather junior pathway or suburban games usually attended by parents watching children play.

Residents claimed there would be traffic impacts on local streets.

The proposed events include school rugby union competitions, country training camps, and championship rounds for girl players.

In its planning application, NSW Rugby Union said the proposal was also a way of “growing the sport and engaging the community through the love of rugby”.

Objections to the plans included concerns from Daceyville Public School principal Sally Ann Mullane who wrote to Bayside Council claiming the sporting events could “significantly impact the learning and wellbeing of students and staff”.

A photo of the playing field.

“The proposed is completely unacceptable to the school and its community,” she wrote in one letter.

“Increased traffic will cause an unacceptable safety risk to students, their families, staff and local residents and there will be unacceptable noise levels from the PA system, spectators and traffic interfering with teaching, learning and student play periods.”

Local MP Ron Hoenig – who also serves as the state’s local government minister – lodged a submission opposing the plans, arguing the proposal was incongruous with the heritage significant of Daceyville as a “garden suburb”.

NSW Rugby CEO Paul Doorn has defended the plans.

At a court hearing, Land and Environment Court acting commissioner Stuart Harding approved the NSW Rugby Union proposal for an initial trial period of 18 months.

The approval comes with a list of conditions including a cap of 400 attendees during each event and a limit of no more than four public games to be held within a calendar month.

Public games will also be banned outside the hours of 8am to 6pm, with kick off not permitted before 8.30am.

NSW Rugby Union is also planning to installing “flexi-shield barriers” to the northern boundary of the playing field to minimise noise impacts on homes.

NSW Rugby chief executive Paul Doorn said the organisation had worked to address community’s concerns, noting they were not “developers” but rather responsible for managing community sport.

“All we are seeking is to use an existing, private recreational facility for its historical purpose as a sporting facility for 12 events,” Mr Doorn said.

In a statement, Bayside Council said the council “actively supports organised sport” but also has an “obligation to protect the quality of life of our residents where there are activities proposed that are not compatible with residential living”.

“In seeking to find a balance between the competing interests of residents and the sporting community in Daceyville, council participated in the court process which ultimately resulted in an 18-month trial of matches with spectators,” the council said.

“The onus is now on Rugby NSW to demonstrate that the site can host spectator games without an unreasonable impact on residents living in very close proximity.”