Clarence council will put AFL High Performance Centre to the vote on Monday after 71 per cent public support
Tasmanian AFL team’s High Performance Centre will be put to the vote by Clarence council on Monday night, with two spectacular options on the table.
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The future home base of the Tasmanian AFL team’s $70m High Performance Centre could be decided on Monday night when the Clarence City Council votes on whether or not to locate it at Rosny.
Clarence and Kingborough, which has offered up the Twin Ovals site, are still in the running to win the state-of-the-art facility that will be worth millions in economic gains to the host council and its commercial sector.
The AFL wants to know the preferred site by the end of the month, with a completion date of 2025 the target for the home of Tasmania’s AFL and AFLW teams, as well as the Tasmania Devils Boys and Girls under-18 Coates League teams.
Kingborough is expected to put it to the vote on December 18.
A report to Clarence identified a preferred option being Charles Hand Park, next to Rosny College, to accommodate the High Performance Centre’s primary oval, training and administration buildings and associated infrastructure, with a second oval located in the Rosny Parklands, the now defunct golf course.
The alternative option is for Rosny Parklands to accommodate the High Performance Centre’s primary oval, training and administration buildings and associated infrastructure, with a second oval located in Charles Hand Park _ a mirror image of the preferred option.
The report followed a four-week community consultation period, during which Clarence City Council received 966 survey responses and submissions.
Clarence City Council Mayor, Brendan Blomeley, said it was “fantastic” to see such a strong response to the consultation with 79 per cent of people who provided input into the consultation being Clarence residents.
“What we heard was 68 per cent of Clarence residents, and 71 per cent of total respondents, were supportive of our city being the home of AFL and AFLW in Tasmania,” Mr Blomeley said.
“We heard from respondents that the High Performance Centre could have huge social and economic benefit, and be a transformative development for the city.
“It was evident through the survey results and submissions received that there is also a great concern for the loss of green and public space, traffic and road access disruptions, the impacts it could have on our City Heart plan, as well as concerns regarding the site constraints of the Rosny Parklands.”
Clarence’s elected members were provided with the estimated economic benefits of the HPC.
Through the construction phase it is almost $20m, while local businesses will benefit by an average $55m per annum in additional income to their area, and the overall financial impact to its regional is estimated at $23.7m.
Research by SGC Economics also estimated High Performance Centre staff alone would spend $127,000 each year on lunches and snacks at their local cafes and bakeries, and that property values will increase and private investment will be drawn into the community.
“The recommendations put forward seek to balance the benefits of a High Performance Centre against the value of accessible community open space in the Rosny CBD,” Mr Blomeley said.
“I look forward to a respectful debate at the Council meeting on Monday night.”
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