Armstrong Creek East Precinct District Sport Reserve Master Plan

Part B│Background, Research and Consultation Findings│April 2013

Contents page (word version only)
Introduction and Background3

Local and Regional Context7

Policy and Planning Context8

Sporting Context10

Stakeholder Consultation13

Site Analysis and Options17

Appendix 1: City of Greater Geelong Infrastructure
Development Guidelines for a District Sports Reserve 22

Appendix 2: Warralily Buyer Survey Results23

Appendix 3: Shared Use Facility Benchmarking32

Appendix 4: CoGG and DEECD Draft Facility
Development Principles34

Appendix 5: Project Budget 37

About this document

The Master Plan for the Armstrong Creek East Precinct District Sports Reserve is delivered in two parts.

Part A – The Master Plan

Provides a summary of Master Plan objectives, planning and design principles, site plan and building concepts, and key recommendations and actions for delivery of proposed reserve infrastructure.

Part B – Background, research and consultation findings

Provides a detailed project and local sporting context analysis, full document review, reserve location and site assessment, key stakeholder consultation program and findings, and all background information and research collected during the development of the Master Plan.

DRAFT Armstrong Creek East Precinct District Sports
Reserve Master Plan

Copyright  2013 by insideEDGE Sport and Leisure Planning

The DRAFT Armstrong Creek East Precinct District Sports Reserve Master Plan was prepared by insideEDGE Sport and Leisure Planning (insideEDGE) (2013) on behalf of the City of Greater Geelong.

This publication is Copyright. No part may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted by any process of by any form except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968.

The information contained within this report is intended for the specific use of the within named party to which it is addressed (“the insideEDGE client”) only. All information and recommendations by insideEDGE are based on information provided by or on behalf of the insideEDGE client and insideEDGE has relied on such information being correct at the time this report was prepared.

INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND

Project Background and Context

The core purpose of the project was to prepare a detailed Master Plan for the East Precinct District Sports Reserve, located in the emerging area of Armstrong Creek in the City of Greater Geelong.

Armstrong Creek has been strategically planned to be an active, healthy community. It is one of the largest strategic planning projects ever undertaken by the City of Greater Geelong.

Armstrong Creek will be a master planned community that enables the early design and inclusion of key community facilities and infrastructure to sustain a future residential, commercial and industrial community. The vision for Armstrong Creek is ‘a residential development that meets the highest standards of sustainable living’.

Armstrong Creek will provide a comprehensive network of open space and recreation facilities that are planned within walking distance of homes and workplaces, linked by a network of trails and walking and cycling paths that contribute to forming a healthy community.

Substantial planning has already been undertaken to ensure the required sporting and community infrastructure will be achieved in line with urban development.

To compliment infrastructure planning, this Master Plan has been prepared to guide the provision and development of the East Precinct District Sports Reserve, the first sports reserve to be developed in Armstrong Creek.

Project Objectives

The key objectives of the Armstrong Creek East Precinct District Sports Reserve Master Plan are to:

Develop a strategic master plan that provides clear direction for the construction of sports infrastructure at the Reserve, taking into account population projections and residential lot densities.
Undertake holistic planning for the establishment of vibrant, safe and inclusive clubs and friendly settings for social interaction to help to build a stronger, resilient and more active community.
Consult with relevant stakeholders to ensure the Reserve caters for a range of active sport needs that will support the development of sport within the region.

Project Outcomes

The key outcomes of this Master Plan include:

To develop concept design plans and accurate cost estimates for the construction phase(s) of the Reserve.
To work collaboratively with relevant stakeholders, including state and local associations in the establishment of sports infrastructure within the Reserve.
To confirm funding availability and opportunities for Master Plan implementation and reserve development.
To contribute to the creation of a healthy, safe and socially connected community and the ongoing liveability of the Armstrong Creek community.
Create an effective interface with educational facilities to be developed opposite the Reserve.

Project Methodology

The Armstrong Creek East Precinct District Sports Reserve Master Plan was undertaken in three key stages. A summary of each of these stages is provided below.

STAGE 1

Establishment and Situational Analysis

STAGE 2

Draft Master Plan Development

STAGE 3

Presentation and Adoption

STAGE 1

Establishment and Situational Analysis

A project commencement meeting was undertaken with Council representatives to confirm the project scope, consultation methods, processes and timeline. A site inspection of the Armstrong Creek East Precinct and proposed location of the Reserve was completed, including neighbouring and adjacent land areas.

A detailed consultation program for the project was developed in conjunction with the Project Manager and Project Control Group. For efficiency, the consultation program for the Master Plan was integrated with the process undertaken for the Sports Development Plan and involved key state, regional and local sporting groups and associations including AFL, netball, cricket, soccer, tennis and lawn bowls.

An analysis of projected local area demographic characteristics, buyer profiles and future participation and demographic projections have been undertaken. Sports specific facility guidelines for AFL, cricket, tennis, soccer and netball facilities and related activities were also reviewed to inform future planning.

STAGE 2

Draft Master Plan Development

A Site Conditions Plan was prepared to drive discussion and provide a point of reference during consultation meetings. A Background Report and Design Brief (Issues and Discussion Paper) was prepared detailing all research, consultation and key project findings.

A Draft Landscape Plan was prepared based on the research undertaken, City of Greater Geelong infrastructure guidelines and development requirements and consultation findings. A Draft Building Concept Design for a new amenities building at the Reserve was developed and presented to the Project Control Group for discussion and refinement.

STAGE 3

Presentation and Adoption

Feedback on the Draft Landscape Plan and Building Concept Design was provided by the Project Control Group and State Sporting Associations at a meeting in January 2013 and the documents refined and released for public consultation by the City of Greater Geelong in April 2013.

Connection to the Armstrong Creek Sports Development Plan

With substantial infrastructure planning already in place for Armstrong Creek, a Sports Development Plan was required to facilitate the establishment and sustainable delivery of sport for the emerging community.

In effect the Sports Development Plan identifies the best way(s) to make sport work and function within the defined infrastructure framework developed.

To achieve this, the Armstrong Creek Sports Development Plan:

Analyses best practice sports development models of growth area communities.
Provides a strategic approach for providing and delivering sport.
Facilitated collaboration between state, regional and local sporting associations and leagues.
Identifies how sport contributes to social, health and well-being outcomes.

The Sport Development Plan has been prepared to coincide with the development of the East Precinct District Sports Reserve Master Plan.

The Sports Development Plan provides linkages to the establishment and growth of sporting clubs at active Reserves across Armstrong Creek and will assist in guiding the future direction and outcomes for sporting clubs and user groups within the East Precinct District Sports Reserve.

Master Plan Consultation Summary

The following consultation process was undertaken with specific groups and individuals in the preparation of the Master Plan and in line with the Sports Development Plan consultation process.

Project inception and ongoing project meetings with the Project Control Group (PCG).
Individual meetings with State Sporting Organisation representatives from AFL Victoria, Cricket Victoria, Football Federation Victoria, Netball Victoria and Tennis Victoria (in December 2011).
Individual meetings with Vicsport, VicHealth, DEECD and Surf Coast Shire representatives.
Presentation and workshop with Project Reference Group (PRG) representatives from local and regional sports associations and leagues (in March 2012).
Conducted a Local Government Growth Area Sports Development Forum with 6 Local Government Authorities, City of Greater Geelong, Leisure Networks, VicHealth, Vicsport and Sport and Recreation Victoria representatives (in April 2012).
Conducted an Armstrong Creek land purchaser survey to assess buyer demographics, sport provision preferences and desire and interest levels in sports delivery in the developing community (128 responses received).
Preparation and issuing of four project newsletters to all stakeholders (in November 2011 and March, May and November 2012).
Preparation and presentation of the Background Report for the Master Plan to PCG, PSG, PRG and other key stakeholders (in July 2012).
Presentation of the Draft Master Plan and Landscape Plan, and Building Concept Design to the Project Steering Group and State Sporting Organisations in January 2013.
A briefing on project outcomes and future recommendations was provided to the Ward Councillor in February 2013.
Documents released for public comment via City of Greater Geelong web site to be released in April 2013.

Warralily Estate

Warralily, home of the East Precinct District Sports Reserve, is a fully master planned community. Over 95% of land parcels have been pre sold with most buyers being owner occupiers. With land valued between $150,000 and $300,000 and easy access to Geelong and the Surf Coast, Warralily will be an affordable and attractive place to live.

Warralily is the first stage of housing development in Armstrong Creek with land parcels also selling in subsequent stages at Warralily Promenade and Warralily Coast. The entire Warralily estate will cater for over 7,000 dwellings, retail shops, mixed use precincts, schools, cycling trails pedestrian links and community facilities including kindergarten, childcare, and community meeting spaces.

East Precinct District Sports Reserve

Armstrong Creek’s first sporting precinct will be centrally located within the East Precinct. The East Precinct District Sports Reserve is approximately 8ha in size and is located in close proximity to the neighbourhood activity centre, local schools and a network of trails and open spaces.

Sporting infrastructure for the East Precinct has been determined through previously completed precinct structure planning and the development of the Integrated Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IIDP), adopted by Council in March 2009.

This planning identified that the East Precinct District Sports Reserve will cater predominantly for active sport and will include the following infrastructure;

A multi-use pavilion incorporating change rooms and amenity areas, function space, storage and public toilets;
Space for 2 (full size) flexible grass fields;
One netball court and one combined netball / tennis court;
Ancillary infrastructure such as cricket practice facilities, seating, car parking, pathways;
Sports lighting to Australian Standards;
Car parking and landscaped areas and;
Informal social space and play facility.

The purpose of this Master Plan is to test the need and demand for identified infrastructure, and to determine the most practical and efficient use of the site.

warralily master plan jpg

LOCAL AND REGIONAL CONTEXT

Greater Geelong Region

The City of Greater Geelong is a rural, residential, resort, industrial and commercial area. Geelong is the largest regional city in Victoria and the leading commercial centre for south-western Victoria. The City encompasses a total land area of about 1,250 square kilometres. Over two-thirds of the population live in the urban areas.

The City of Greater Geelong is a key partner in the G21 Geelong Regional Alliance. G21 is the formal alliance of government, business and community organisations working together to improve the lives of people within the Geelong region across five member municipalities – Colac Otway, Golden Plains, Greater Geelong, Queenscliffe and Surf Coast. G21 provides a platform for Councils to engage with business, industry, state and federal government and other agencies on issues of mutual benefit to the region.

G21’s innovative structure helps to strengthen collaboration across the region to plan major projects such as the Armstrong Creek residential development in a strategic and effective fashion. For example, the five G21 member municipalities have endorsed the G21 Geelong Region Plan, which provides a long-term shared vision for the region.

Armstrong Creek

Armstrong Creek is located approximately 90km south-west of Melbourne and 10km south of the Geelong City Centre. The Armstrong Creek growth area is described as the land south of the railway line at Grovedale and Marshall. Armstrong Creek is designated in the Geelong Municipal Strategic Statement (MSS) as the ‘primary growth corridor for the future urban growth of Geelong’. Armstrong Creek spans 2,500 hectares and will be well connected to the expanding Geelong suburbs to the north and north-west, Torquay and the Surf Coast to the south and the Bellarine Peninsula to the east.

Local Precincts

Armstrong Creek consists of seven residential, industrial and employment precincts, including the Major Activity Centre; Horseshoe Bend; North East Industrial; Marshall; Armstrong Creek West; Western Industrial and the East Precinct.

The East Precinct is the first to be developed with housing construction already commenced. More than 1,000 lots are expected to be built by the end of 2013, with a range of lot sizes and housing diversity for all ages.

The East Precinct will provide open space, walking and bicycle tracks as well as neighbourhood retail and schools all within easy reach of Geelong, Torquay and Melbourne.

PLANNING AND POLICY CONTEXT

The City of Greater Geelong has adopted the recently introduced streamlined planning process that is already being applied to Melbourne’s growth areas.

The Armstrong Creek Urban Growth Boundary has been established via an amendment process that has resulted in the Armstrong Creek Urban Growth Framework Plan being included in the City of Greater Geelong planning scheme and a Ministerial Amendment applying the new Urban Growth Zone to farming land within the Urban Growth Boundary.

Armstrong Creek Urban Growth Plan (Revised 2010)

The revised Armstrong Creek Urban Growth Plan supports the development of the East Precinct District Sports Reserve Master Plan. The Urban Growth Plan states that provision should be made within the growth area for a recreational and open space network capable of servicing the local recreational needs of the population.

This should include:

indoor recreation facilities, such as swimming pools and gymnasiums;
active parks, such as playing fields; and
passive parks, such as bushland and walking trails.

Sporting facilities should consist of multi-purpose sports reserves with the potential to accommodate soccer pitches, football/ cricket ovals, and located close to good public transport, a recreational trail network and proposed retarding basins to minimise the cost of using stormwater runoff for irrigation.

The location of the sports reserve and its integration with proposed local schools is also an important part of the master plan process. The Urban Growth Plan indicates that public sports grounds should be shared between schools and the wider community, be multi-purpose, have irrigated playing fields, and are able to be used for a variety of sports.

Sustainable Communities – Infrastructure Development Guidelines

In October 2010, The City of Greater Geelong prepared Infrastructure Development Guidelines to facilitate the development of sustainable communities through quality planning, design and construction of infrastructure across the City.

The provision of sport, recreation and open space in new communities such as Armstrong Creek is vital to providing for the long term health and social cohesion of the community. The primary objective centres on promoting a ‘sense of place’ where people are happy, healthy and well connected.

The Infrastructure Development Guidelines sets out the sizes or hierarchy of active reserves for population thresholds and the design of infrastructure based on Australian Standards and State Sporting Association requirements. A district level sports reserve has been identified for the Armstrong Creek East Precinct and will be considered in the development of the master plan. Appendix 1 outlines Council’s guidelines for a district level sporting reserve.

Armstrong Creek East Precinct Development Contribution Plan

The Armstrong Creek East Precinct Development Contribution Plan supports the funding of infrastructure in the Armstrong Creek East Precinct. The Development Contribution Plan collects levies to ensure that the infrastructure set out in the Integrated Infrastructure Delivery Plan relevant to the East Precinct is funded to enable Council to provide the infrastructure.

It should be noted that the Development Contribution Plan is not the sole source of funding for all infrastructure in the precinct. The full range of facilities identified will only be delivered if infrastructure is provided by a variety of funding sources.