Sporting groups blocked from using new sports fields at Rozelle Parklands amid bureaucratic red tape stalemate

They cost millions of dollars to build and were touted as a much-needed new sporting hub, but the newly created playing fields at Rozelle Parklands still can’t be used by clubs in the region due to an ongoing red tape stalemate.

A brand new Sydney sporting ground, which opened to the public more than a year ago, remains off limits to local sporting clubs as a bureaucratic battle over the site reaches fever pitch.

They cost millions of dollars to build and were touted as a much-needed new sporting hub, but an ongoing red tape stalemate has ensured the region’s clubs are no closer to being able to use the newly created playing fields at Rozelle Parklands.

The stalemate has been blamed on ongoing negotiations and delays between NSW Government – which built the park – to finalise a management agreement with Inner West Council that would enable the council to book out the fields to local sporting groups.

Paul Avery – president of the Balmain District Football Club, known as Sydney’s largest community football club – said the inability for local clubs to play on the fields was “utter madness”.

“We have more than 3100 players in the association and we’re desperate to get access to the playing fields because all the facilities we play on at the moment are beyond capacity,” Mr Avery said.

Members of the Balmain Football Association, Jonah Youngman, 10, Coco Hall 6 and Jude Youngman 8.

“For more than 12 months we’ve been looking with longing at the fields which are open to everyone except for sporting clubs. The situation is just crazy.

“The delays have been a huge disappointment to all sport codes but particularly football and AFL because we have an increasing participation rate and a chronic shortage of fields to play on.”

Frustrations by sporting groups reached boiling point after Inner West Council informed clubs that the fields had been removed from the council’s 2025 winter seasonal sporting field allocations, indicating the fields may not open until at least mid-2025.

Rozelle Parklands was created as part of the WestConnex motorway construction project.

Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne has expressed frustration over the delays in reaching agreements over the park, which he said could be resolved if Transport for NSW agreed to provide a straightforward interim licence agreement which would enable the fields to be booked out by sporting groups.

A plan of management and final licence also needs to be completed, which Mr Byrne said was important “to get right” before the council takes on final control and management of the parklands.

Transport for NSW, in a statement, said it was “working with Inner West Council on the plan for the management of Rozelle Parklands” but did not say when an agreement was expected to be reached.

A photo of the playing fields at the parklands.

“It’s important to finalise this plan to deliver the best outcomes for the inner west community across the almost 10 hectares of green space,” a department spokeswoman said.

“We look forward to reaching an agreement with the council and hope it can be done quickly. We thank the local community for their patience during this time.”

The parklands were funded and built by Transport for NSW as part of its commitment to provide parkland to offset the impact of the WestConnex motorway construction.

The parklands were opened to the public more than one year ago.

But since opening in 2022, the site has been plagued by teething issues including the discovery of toxic asbestos in mulch which forced sections of the parklands to be closed to the public last year.

Sections of the brand new sporting facilities also needed to be resurfaced after assessments found parts of the fields may be too “uneven” for sporting clubs to play on the fields.

Mr Avery said demand for the fields was driven by a shortfall of other sporting facilities in the inner city, spurred on by growth in female participation in sport including football.

“On some days we have four senior teams having to play on a single field which means dividing up the field into four and we also have to share fields with other codes,” he said.

“Having Rozelle Parklands available would take a lot of pressure off the other facilities.”

The Inner West Council has written to Transport for NSW expressing our frustration over delays for the fields and has also requested meetings to “progress talks” over the management agreement for the parklands.

Several facilities under construction at the park also still need to be completed including lighting which Transport for NSW expects to be completed in May.