A MULTI-MILLION dollar sports facility is on the cards for Johnson Property Group's (JPG) Watagan Park housing estate at Cooranbong.
The proposal boasts two sports fields catering to soccer, rugby, cricket and AFL along with a two-storey multi-purpose centre with activity rooms, office spaces, change rooms and amenities.
The $9.6 million development would include an off-leash dog exercise area, skate park, off-street parking, a network of walking and cycling paths and a public art element.
JPG chief development officer Bryan Garland said he anticipates it will take 12 months to build once construction starts, with some preparatory bulk earthworks and levelling already under way.
"The Watagan Park Sports Facility has been identified since around 2007 as a facility needed as a result of the population growth within Watagan Park," he said.
"Strategically co-located within the recently approved shopping centre precinct, now also incorporating Woolworths, the Watagan Park Sports Facility will form part of the heart of the project by providing and contributing to a variety of functions to promote social interaction and healthy lifestyles for Watagan Park residents.
"We expect the facility to be very popular, like the popularity of the sports facility we recently delivered at nearby Cooranbong Park."
The multi-purpose centre will have three carparking areas with a total of 106 parks, along with spectator seating for 200 people.
Under an agreement with Lake Macquarie City Council, JPG has to deliver the sports facility before it can release its 1250th residential lot.
If approved, it will be handed over to the council and will be available to residents of Watagan Park estate and the wider Cooranbong community.
JPG put two options for the skate park out to the public in November and December, last year.
Mr Garland said public consultation on the two designs will close September 29.
"Once the community determines a preferred option after the consultation period closes, that option will be further details and progressed through to construction approvals," he said.
The council indicated it preferred a 'street plaza' style given a 'flow style' skate park is already available at Morisset.
The sports facility would be located north of Avondale Seventh Day Adventist School and east of the future town centre and medium density residential development at Watagan Park.
It would be bounded by Pilot Drive to the east, Cessna Avenue to the north and an unnamed road to the east.
The Watagan Park development makes up most of the North Cooranbong Urban Release Area, after the state government set aside areas for low and medium density housing, schools, a new town centre, parks and community facilities in 2008.
Its 2500 lots will be spread across 356 hectares on the border of Watagan National Park.
A number of development approvals have been issued since then with parts of the residential areas already built or under construction.
