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After almost two decades of seeking to redevelop its home ground at Brookvale Oval on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, NRL club the Manly Sea Eagles is poised to begin the building of a new Centre of Excellence and 3,000 seat covered grandstand at the northern end of the venue.

With a Northern Beaches Council commissioned report having recommended the development application be rejected the Sydney North Planning Panel has overruled the arguments made by Council’s assessor and approved the development.

As a result, the $32.5 million upgrade of the Sea Eagles’ venue could start within weeks

Advocating on behalf of the Sea Eagles at the Planning Panel last week, Chris Dare, Managing Director of sports facility consultant Waypoint, highlighted that that major upgrades to Brookvale Oval had been contemplated for over 20 years, none of which had come to fruition.

Dare advised “over the past 15 years the condition of facilities has steadily fallen and the venue is now one of the worst in the NRL.”

Having attracted $32.5 million in committed funding from the Federal and NSW Government, the Sea Eagles claim the project is ‘shovel-ready’ and could get underway within four to six weeks.

Pointing out that the project would be at no cost to the ratepayers of the Northern Beaches, despite Council being responsible for the ground, Dare advised “construction can commence almost immediately and we are going to be able to create jobs that are so needed in the construction area at the moment due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

He also told the Planning Panel that a Centre of Excellence would significantly improve accessibility and public amenity, with much improved toilets, additional covered seating at the northern end of the ground, and facilities for female players.

Dare said the project would be the “catalyst for the redevelopment of Brookvale Oval in the longer term”.

He said they had carefully planned where the new facilities would be located to allow the potential possibility of future development.

Going on to say the development would also ensure the Sea Eagles’ “historical home was protected for future generations”, Dare added “Brookvale Oval has been the home of the Sea Eagles since 1947, 73 years of representing He also reiterated the community.

“Over the past 15 years conditions of the facilities at the Brookvale Oval have steadily fallen and the venue is now one of the worst in the NRL.”

Images: Artists impressions of the planned new 3000-seat grandstand for Brookvale Oval. Courtesy seaeagles.com.au

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