State Football Centre on hold until after election

In January, the WA Liberal Party promised $37 million to build the long-awaited State Football Centre if re-elected.

Premier Colin Barnett announced the centre on Guildford Road would include a grandstand for up to 4000 spectators, with 700 permanent seats, an administration facility for Football West, two floodlit playing fields and player amenities.

In May 2015, the council voted to support Ashfield Reserve as a preferred site for the home of Football West with conditions for all documents to be released to the public and engage in community consultation.

At last month’s council meeting, Ashfield resident Warren Wright asked council and town officers if they had a copy of the proposed State Football Centre business case formed by the |Department of Sport and Recreation.

Community development director Graeme Haggart confirmed he did not have a copy of the document but had seen the layout concept plan.

“My take on it is one political party has made an election promise and the Government has not approved the plans,” he said.

“The concept plan was prepared to facilitate project costings to be estimated.

“It is not the final layout plan – this would only be achieved once there has been engagement with the community.”

Mr Jarvis said the department informed the Town that the business case was both cabinet in-confidence and commercial in-confidence.

“They said there was no funding in the current budget,” he said.

“If the Government is elected, matters will be addressed including community consultation, working closely with the Town |to develop a project definition plan.”

Deputy Mayor Mike Lewis said the proposal would not result in the loss of green space.