Sporting groups say they are shocked at the announcement two local ovals would be lost to build a new basketball stadium in Newcastle.
City of Newcastle and Newcastle Basketball on Wednesday announced plans for a $30 million 12-court stadium across from McDonald Jones Stadium on Turton Road.
The site contains Wallarah and Blackley ovals, which are used by junior and senior cricketers as well as Lambton Jaffas youth and junior development league (JDL) teams.
Cricket groups say while they were pleased for basketball and glad they had found an alternate venue after Hillsborough plans were rejected, they were frustrated it came at the expense of the two ovals.
"They're going to fill over grass with concrete," Newcastle District Cricket Association secretary Aaron Gray said.
"It's brilliant for basketball, but we're already stretched to capacity with current fields."
Newcastle Junior Cricket Association president Andrew Cornwell said Newcastle was leading the country in female cricket participation, and Wallarah Oval was one of few grounds in Newcastle with change facilities suitable for female cricketers.
"Despite an increase in participation in the Newcastle LGA there has been a net loss of cricket grounds over recent years," he said. "Today's announcement will dramatically compound the problem.
"While we are pleased the basketball stadium saga has finally been resolved, it is now incumbent on Newcastle City Council and the state government to find and fund two replacement cricket grounds as a matter of urgency.
"Any replacement must have adequate change facilities for our female cricketers and be of a similar size to what we had.
"Newcastle council has rightly committed itself to the promotion and support of women and children in sport and we intend to hold them to this commitment."
"There must be no net loss of cricket grounds in this process."
Mr Gray said he was disappointed the association wasn't consulted about the plans.
"We just want a seat at the table before decisions are made," he said.
Council acting executive director creative and community services Lynn Duffy said City of Newcastle was preparing a precinct plan for the surrounding sportsgrounds and would work closely with the sporting groups and other stakeholders to ensure local training and club games continue with minimal disruption.
Lambton Jaffas president Scott Douglas said while they weren't expecting the announcement, the club was keen to work with council.
"We will need replacements," he said. "But we look forward to working with council. We're trusting the process."
A City of Newcastle spokesperson said the nominated site for the new basketball stadium was identified in council's Strategic Sports Strategy in 2020 as public fields that were significantly underutilised.
"This report was the result of hundreds of hours of consultation with local sporting clubs to understand their future ground needs based upon membership," a spokesperson said.
"It's also worth noting that due to last year's heavy rains, both Wallarah and Blackley ovals were largely unusable for the entire sports season.
"City of Newcastle worked with cricket to identify other locations where they could play, and we are committed to doing this again via the development of a precinct plan covering the surrounding sportsgrounds including Arthur Edden Oval, Harker Oval, Ford Oval, and Kentish Oval.
"Harker Oval in particular, which is just around the corner from the site proposed for the new basketball stadium, is a ground of significantly higher standard, and we believe currently underutilised.
"Construction for the new basketball stadium is at least 12 months away so we have enough time to work with soccer and cricket to ensure they have new fields to play on, and importantly, ones that will be within walking distance of their current home grounds."
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