Elwood neighbours fight MCC plan for world-class hockey pitch with lights at Elwood College
The Melbourne Cricket Club is under fire for a $3 million sporting development Elwood residents say will trash their peaceful neighbourhood with bright lights, noise and “traffic streaming past like it’s Brunton Avenue”.
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The Melbourne Cricket Club is under fire over a sporting development that Elwood residents say will light up the area “like a little MCG’’.
The MCC is building a hockey field and has taken a 30-year lease on land at Elwood College.
Work on the $3 million project — on the corner of Shelley and Goldsmith streets — will start in the next few weeks.
A deal between the school and club was signed off late last year to provide a “world-class sporting facility” for Elwood, but residents are adamant they learnt of it at an information night in August.
More than 1100 people have since signed a petition calling for the deal to be scrapped.
Andrew Goodone, who lives in Shelley St, said the hockey pitch would take up about 70 per cent of open space at Elwood College in what he called “a blatant land grab by the MCC’’.
He said while the school was spruiking it as a world-class hockey facility, residents believed it would be used only by MCC members and “the students and the local community are going to be locked out”.
Light spill from towers around the pitch, increased traffic and carparking, water run-off and noise from games, referee whistles, sirens and team songs were also listed as key concerns.
Mr Goodone said if residents didn’t band together, the development would “change our community in a way like nothing else before it’’.
He said the hockey field would effectively turn a “quiet alcove into a mini MSAC”.
But residents in favour of the pitch say the campaign to quash the deal, including a mocked-up image of the pitch with MCG lights and “traffic streaming past like it’s Brunton Ave” is “misleading”.
Kate Adamson told the Leader the pitch would be an asset to the school and the wider community and “it’s just not true” people didn’t know about it until August.
“I’ve got three boys and it’ll just be so good,” she said.
“If the school doesn’t lock that land away for sport, it’ll just get swallowed up for portables.
“I think it’s an unreal opportunity but it’s unfortunate people are trying to thwart that opportunity.”
Chloe Gent, an Elwood College student, said it was be a huge win for the school, with the deal providing sustainable income for at least the next 30 years.
“This money can be used to further expand the facilities at the college, as well as Elwood Primary School and Poets Grove Kindergarten as they are part of the Elwood Community Hub,” she said.
“I’m hopeful that the facility is managed in an effective way that is respectful to the communities needs and wishes, as well as those of the school and MCC hockey.”
In a joint statement last month, the school and MCC Foundation said a letter about the development was sent to residents on Goldsmith and Shelley streets in early February, and the school had followed up with an information session and other letters and emails.
And a hockey pitch/sports field at that corner has been an ongoing feature of the school’s master plans since before 2014, with information booths about the project previously held at the Elwood Community Market and Elwood Farmers’ Market.
The statement said hockey was not a year-round sport and other clubs and individuals would be able to book and use the pitch.
Light poles using “state of the arts sports field technology” were proposed, the statement said.
“The LED light technology we are considering is far more focused on providing controlled light, not flood light,’’ it stated.
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Elwood College acting principal Todd Asensio said the facility would be a sporting asset for the students and the wider community.
“We’ve engaged with our school and broader local community on the plans for the project and are aware of issues raised by some community members,” he said.
“These issues are being addressed as part of the process for finalising the designs for the facilities.”
Port Phillip Council Mayor Dick Gross said the council, while not directly involved in the project, was “aware of some residents’ concerns about amenity and are working closely with Elwood College and the MCC to try to achieve the best outcome possible.”:
“This includes discussions about managing noise, parking, light spillage and tree removal,” Cr Gross said.
“Once the project is completed, we will continue to monitor the situation and, if required, consider making parking and traffic improvements.”
“The hockey field will be used during the day by the school and after hours, for three nights only, by the MCC Hockey club. Outside of these hours, we understand the field can be used by residents and local community groups.”
The MCC said a further community drop-in session will be held at Elwood College on Tuesday, October 22 from 6pm to 7pm.