Council fires contractor in synthetic turf saga as costs more than double

A controversial project to replace a grass oval with a synthetic sports field on the north shore was already hit by cost blowouts and delays. Now, tradies have been told to down tools.

A dispute between Ku-ring-gai Council and contractor Turf One exploded on Monday night, when the council wrote to tell them their contract was cancelled. They were ordered to stop work and leave Norman Griffiths Oval in West Pymble by midday Tuesday.

Original plans to provide a synthetic pitch. Credit:

Costs to rip up the natural turf and deliver the synthetic pitch had already doubled from $3.3 million in 2021 to $6.9 million this year, and the delivery date was estimated at July 2025 – three years late.

Councillors were told in a confidential meeting that in a worst-case scenario, costs could be significantly higher.

Now, sporting clubs have no clue when they might get their pitch back as the site sits dormant.

The council will now launch an independent investigation into the saga and look into the cost and time required to return the oval to a natural turf field, in comparison to the completion of the current synthetic project, which the contractor estimates to be 80 per cent complete.

The synthetic turf project has been fraught with controversy, warnings from government environment agencies and even a legal fight from a local environmental group, which was ultimately unsuccessful.

Since construction started, the Environment Protection Authority received multiple reports of pollution into the nearby Quarry Creek, which runs into the Lane Cove National Park. Further delays came when council staff wanted to send the designs for independent approval and when asbestos was discovered on the site.

Turf One construction manager Michael Fitzpatrick denied his company was responsible for any pollution and said he is likely to pursue legal action against Ku-ring-gai Council as they battle over costs.

“We’ve built hundreds of these projects and this is the most difficult council I’ve ever dealt with,” he said.

The West Pymble Football Club is furious it has had to go without the pitch for so long.

“The synthetic pitch is not a luxury – it’s an essential piece of infrastructure that will ensure football can be played safely and consistently throughout the season,” president Kieron Fitzpatrick said.

Some locals have remained staunchly against the project. Bron Hanna, a local bush carer, was involved in pursuing legal action against the council. She wants the site returned to a natural pitch.

“The high costs to ratepayers and impacts of this project on our community are unacceptable. We are hoping that council properly considers the option of turning this oval back to a high-quality, properly drained, natural turf oval,” she said.

A council spokesperson said council has taken possession of the site and is making the area “safe and stable”.

“Council is developing a new construction methodology and procurement strategy which will see completion of the project in the most efficient and cost-effective manner. This will provide an updated cost estimate and opening date.”

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