Investigation reveals asbestos and heavy metals at proposed Bulldogs Centre of Excellence site

Asbestos and other contaminants have been discovered under the hill at a beloved Sydney rugby league ground where the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs new headquarters is set to be built.

A detailed site investigation found low concentrations of asbestos and traces of heavy metals on a site proposed for a $50m Centre of Excellence.

Asbestos and other contaminants have been discovered under the hill at a beloved Sydney rugby league ground where the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs new headquarters is set to be built.

The $50m Centre of Excellence is expected to transform the Bulldog’s home base at Belmore Oval Sports Complex and provide state-of-the-art facilities for both its NRL and NRLW teams.

However detailed site investigations by JK Environments unearthed toxic contaminants from infill within Terry Lamb Hill – a man-made spectator hill located opposite Peter Moore Field.

Four-metre deep soil samples found low concentrations of asbestos as well as traces of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel and zinc.

Several “fibre cement fragments” including a matted “bundle” of asbestos were also located and removed from the hill’s surface soil.

A “bundle” of asbestos was founded within Terry Lamb Hill.

A report by the environmental consultant agency said while there was a low risk of encountering the contaminants, it posed another hurdle for project managers to deal with should the project be green lit.

“The risk to site occupants or users associated with asbestos in the fill is considered to be low in the context of the proposed land use scenario,” the report states.

“However, there remains a risk to site workers in an occupational scenario during disturbance of fill.”

Artist impressions of the proposed Bankstown Centre for Excellence at Belmore Sports Ground.

Under the proposed construction plans, part of Terry Lamb Hill is slated to undergo 2m-deep excavation works which could put workers at risk of direct exposure to asbestos and heavy metals, the report outlined.

A spokesperson for the project team, Urbis Group, said a number of risk management measures were already proposed, including an asbestos management plan.

“It is common for some contaminants to be found on sites during construction,” the spokesperson said.

“Any remediation works, if required, will be carried out by a licensed contractor and safely removed offsite.”

Artist impressions of the proposed Bankstown Centre for Excellence at Belmore Sports Ground.

The toxic findings are the latest hurdle the project team must address after the local council raised the alarm on potential flood risks last year.

Canterbury-Bankstown Council flood maps submitted in response to a scoping report revealed the site sits on an “island” at risk of ending up completely underwater.

However the planned project has been met with overwhelming support from the local community, including struggling business owners who say the games are a financial lifeline.

In submissions, the NRL commended the proposed Centre of Excellence saying the new centre will be the first of its kind to offer “gender-equal” high-performance facilities.

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said while the Bulldogs are the “heartbeat of local community” their current facilities “do not meet the standards required for a club of its stature”.

“Particularly as the club prepares to enter the NRLW in 2025,” he said.

“The Centre will be the first NRL gender-equal high-performance centre in Australia, with equal facilities for male and female athletes.

“The NRL is in full support of the Bulldogs’ proposed Centre of Excellence and believes it will deliver major benefits to rugby league and the Belmore community more broadly.”