Norman Griffiths Oval Redevelopment Costs Blow Out to $24 Million

A Sydney council is facing a significant cost blowout to upgrade a local football pitch, with the project now expected to cost at least $24 million, a $4 million increase from earlier estimates this year.

The transformation of Norman Griffiths Oval into either a synthetic field or a natural turf field has been plagued by delays and cost blowouts since it closed five years ago to become a synthetic playing field. Initially expected to cost $3.3 million in 2021, the project has seen multiple setbacks, including a dispute with the contractor and a change in stormwater system design.

Ku-ring-gai Council voted in April to increase the budget to $20 million, covering a $4.4 million termination payout for the contractor and a new stormwater detention system. However, a report to council by NSW Public Works indicates the final cost will be at least $24 million.

West Pymble FC, which calls Norman Griffiths Oval its home ground, has had to move between several other fields in the area for the past few years. The club's president, Kieron Fitzpatrick, said council needed to proceed with the synthetic field option, citing the public works report which suggests it could handle more regular players.

"The choice is remarkably simple," Mr Fitzpatrick told a council forum on the matter. "Spend $24 million on something that does meet the requirement, or spend $24 million on something we know does not."

However, public policy specialist Bron Hanna criticized the project, calling it "Australia's most expensive synthetic football pitch upgrade" and suggesting it should be terminated. Ms Hanna also raised concerns about the project's avoidance of scrutiny from a state government capital expenditure review.

"The revelations that the council's general manager and the Office of Local Government's deputy secretary shared texts on how council could avoid undertaking these legally mandated guidelines are deeply concerning," Ms Hanna said.

A leading sporting field consultant, Paul Lamble, said the report did not provide council with field options that represented best practice. Council's motion noted another part of the public works report suggesting returning Norman Griffiths Oval to a natural turf field with above-ground wastewater detention would cost $28 million.

Councillor Sam Ngai was the sole vote against Tuesday's motion, citing previous community surveys that strongly supported the synthetic proposal.

"Council already did this in 2020; 94 per cent of surveyed residents within 500 metres of the facility strongly supported the synthetic proposal," Cr Ngai said.

The council has scheduled an extraordinary meeting for next week to vote through the $24.4 million synthetic option and rescind the survey.