Daceyville: NSW Rugby, Waratahs reveal plans for $18m new home

The NSW Waratahs and NSW Rugby have been looking for a new home for the best part of three years. Now, a development application has finally been lodged.

Artist impression of the entrance into the centre of excellence.

Design plans for NSW Rugby’s $18 million centre of excellence in southeast Sydney have been revealed.

NSW Rugby lodged a much-anticipated development application with Bayside Council last week to build its centre of excellence at David Phillips Sports Complex in Daceyville.

The centre of excellence will be the home of NSW Rugby for at least the next 30 years and the training base for the Waratahs.

The proposed centre of excellence.

The proposed centre of excellence from behind, looking from Cook Ave.

It is a huge step forward for the project which has been in the pipeline since the State Government announced a $20 million grant in 2018.

The $18 million development application includes a state-of-the-art building in the northwest corner of David Phillips park, at the corner of Cook and Gwea avenues.

The proposal includes demolition of an existing amenities building.

The two-storey new building will feature a grandstand, a high performance centre including a gym, medical and rehab facilities, plus workspaces and offices.

The proposal also includes upgrades to the entrance to the centre of excellence and some upgrades to the field.

The centre of excellence looking from the entrance on Gwea Ave.

The sports complex in Daceyville has been a makeshift home for NSW Rugby and the Waratahs for the past three years albeit in demountable buildings.

NSW Rugby chief executive Paul Doorn said the development application was a fantastic step forward for the code.

“It goes without saying that it’s been a challenging year for everyone, to finalise this element of the project is really pleasing,” Doorn said.

“It’s a significant body of work and one that will benefit the Waratahs and rugby across New South Wales for many years to come.”

Layout of the centre of excellence.

David Phillips Sports Complex is currently owned by The University of NSW. NSW Rugby and UNSW are expected to sign a 30-year lease agreement next year.

“What we have done is given Rugby NSW a letter of consent which has allowed them to lodge the DA,” Neil Morris, UNSW director of student life and communities, said.

He said there was currently a heads of agreement in place between the university and NSW Rugby and a formal lease arrangement would be finalised in the New Year.

“It will be a 30-year lease arrangement and there will be an option to extend beyond (that period).”

Existing facilities at the sports complex, which include hockey fields and other sporting fields and amenities, will continue to be used by the university.

Astrolabe Park which neighbours David Phillips Sports Complex in Daceyville was also earmarked for a new major sporting precinct in 2018 – backed by Cricket NSW, AFL NSW and UNSW – but those plans were withdrawn with Bayside Council.