Canterbury Leagues Club seek to skip Liverpool Council refusal for $500 million precinct development

Canterbury Leaguers Club have unveiled their ambitious plans for a new National Rugby League (NRL) precinct in Liverpool.

The precinct at 84 Memorial Avenue, Liverpool, spanning over 80,000 sqm, is set to become a world-class facility that will boast a state-of-the-art stadium, training facilities, and community spaces.

In a battle of interests, Liverpool City Council has come to a head with the club over the proposed lifestyle, entertainment and recreational precinct worth a staggering half a billion dollars on the outskirts of the city.

Canterbury Leagues Club has engaged a team of consultants, including Zhinar Architects and GAT & Associates, to prepare a Planning Proposal to create an amendment to Schedule 1 of the Liverpool Local Environmental Plan 2008 to allow for the 10-building project, earmarked to accommodate 1150 apartments, 44 serviced units, 150 hotel rooms, up to 1000 sqm of commercial space and a registered club.

However, the proposal has been met with significant resistance from Liverpool City Council, leading to a potential stalemate, with the council rejecting the plans in March 2022 stating the proposal, "engendered an “out of centre” development that had potential to undermine planned residential and commercial growth in the city centre" along with noting reduced walkability issues. 

The project would involve rezoning the area to allow for building heights of up to 77 metres, a significant increase from the current maximum of 21 metres, with the proposed buildings ranging in height from 37 metres to a towering 77 metres.

Canterbury Leagues Club has however made an audacious move in calling for the New South Wales Planning Department to overturn Liverpool Council's refusal of its rezoning application for the major redevelopment, stating "the precinct is not intended or designed to compete with the Liverpool City Centre, but rather be a destination precinct in its own right."

GAT & Associates also noted in their planning proposal on behalf of the club that “the development is conceived as a lifestyle, entertainment and recreational precinct providing entertainment and recreation uses that are not found within the Liverpool City Centre, while also providing residential and limited commercial uses."

The plans also propose upgrades to the existing open spaces around the site, as well as new pedestrian links, which would alleviate some of the council's issues. 

Artist impression of the proposed precinct. Credit: Tim Throsby.

Revolutionary Design

The site is part of a greater block of land known as Woodward Park with the subject land being directly on the corner of Memorial Avenue and Copeland Street and is positioned as the western gateway for the Liverpool City Centre.

The site is to be broken into three precincts: a club/hotel precinct, a western residential precinct and an eastern residential precinct.

The eastern residential cluster is located on the corner of Memorial Avenue and Copeland Street and will serve to provide a legible built form marker on this prominent corner. This site is the smallest in site area. The intended design is for five separate residential flat buildings with a shared central communal open space, with some buildings to provide rooftop gardens that will receive excellent solar access.

The western residential cluster similarly intends for five residential flat buildings, a central communal area and rooftop gardens.

A boulevard is intended to provide a direct linkage from the City Centre, over a new pedestrian footbridge, through the centre of the site to Hillier Oval and the Whitlam Leisure Centre. This boulevard is supported by limited commercial floor space to provide an active street.

The precinct's design is set to revolutionise the way sporting facilities are constructed in Australia. The state-of-the-art stadium will have a seating capacity of 45,000, making it one of the largest stadiums in the country. The unique bowl design will ensure that every seat in the house provides an unobstructed view of the game.

The stadium will have a retractable roof, allowing games to be played in all weather conditions. The precinct will also have a community sports centre, featuring indoor and outdoor sporting facilities, available to the community for use.

Artist impression of the proposed precinct. Credit: Tim Throsby.

Economic benefits

The precinct is expected to generate significant economic benefits for the local community, with an expected $300 million injection into the economy. The project is also expected to create over 2,000 jobs during the construction phase, and over 1,000 ongoing jobs.

The precinct's location in Liverpool has been chosen strategically, with the aim of driving investment and growth in the area. The development is set to become a hub for sports, entertainment, and community activities in the region.

Environmental sustainability

The precinct's design incorporates environmental sustainability features, including solar panels, water recycling, and efficient lighting systems.

The project aims to be carbon neutral, with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and minimising the impact on the environment.

The 10 year plan to move Liverpool forward

With the City of Liverpool setting its sights on a prosperous and sustainable future, releasing its long-term Community Strategic Plan, Growing Liverpool 2023, it is believed the two sides will be able to reach a solution, with the Community Strategic Plan outlining a vision for the city, focusing on the promotion of a thriving economy, the creation of a safe, healthy and liveable urban environment, and the development of sustainable infrastructure that protects and enhances the natural environment.

The proposed planning proposal, which is currently under consideration, is seen as a step in the right direction towards achieving these goals. In particular, it is believed that the proposal aligns well with the strategies outlined in the plan, including the promotion of high-quality development, the creation of local employment opportunities, and the establishment of a sustainable development that complements the natural environment.

The precinct will intend to host community events, festivals, and other activities to promote community engagement and involvement.

Furthermore, the development is expected to provide a safe and healthy environment for future residents, pedestrians, and users of the recreational facilities, such as the Whitlam Centre and Hillier Oval, which are located adjacent to the proposed site.

Artist impression of the proposed precinct. Credit: Tim Throsby.

Transport connections

The site is in a well connected location in terms of both public transportation and road infrastructure. For public transportation, the Liverpool Railway Station is 800 metres to the east of the site, with three separate rail lines servicing the station. 

The rail network provides direct services to the Sydney CBD and other major centres including Parramatta, Blacktown, Bankstown and Strathfield. The Liverpool-Parramatta Transitway is to the west of the site, with a bus stop within 400 metres, which provides access to key local and regional centres via Sydney’s bus network. A bus stop is located along the Memorial Avenue frontage that provides direct access to the Liverpool Railway Station and Westfield Liverpool and western suburbs.