'More than beachfront buildings': surf club seeks clarity on building condition

A Newcastle surf life saving club says it is being left out of the loop on the condition of its facilities by the council as they seek a transparent, and long-term strategy for their renewal and replacement.

Cooks Hill SLSC president Michael Clancy said the club had waited more than three years for repairs to internal support structures and access doors after damage associated with storms in June 2022.

He said that the current repairs were welcome, but they didn't resolve the much larger issue facing Cooks Hill and other Newcastle surf clubs.

He said they had been left in the dark on what City of Newcastle's strategy was for buildings that were ageing, deteriorating or no longer fit for the services expected of them.

Cooks Hill SLSC received development approval for a new clubhouse in 2011.

The club subsequently spent significant amounts of its own money to construct the first stage of the approved development.

Fifteen years later, the club is still waiting for meaningful insight into the council's strategy for completing or replacing the facility.

Mr Clancy said the community deserved greater transparency about the condition of the assets that the council managed on its behalf.

"Council holds these buildings in stewardship for the Newcastle community, but clubs and the public have little visibility of their structural condition, remaining life or planned replacement," Mr Clancy said.

"For 15 years, Cooks Hill has sought a clear direction.

"The club has demonstrated its commitment by securing an approval and investing its own funds in the first stage, but it cannot responsibly plan the next stage without council leadership and certainty."

City of Newcastle reported an $8.7 million budget surplus for 2024-25 while also reporting record infrastructure expenditure.

"Financial sustainability is important, but the community is entitled to ask whether reported surpluses are being achieved while important community assets are allowed to degrade or are not replaced when required," Mr Clancy said.

"A budget surplus cannot be viewed in isolation from the condition of the assets council is responsible for maintaining.

"Deferring renewal may improve a financial result in the immediate term, but it can also increase future costs, create safety and service risks, and leave volunteer organisations operating without certainty."

Cooks Hill SLSC is asking the council to publicly release the latest building, structural and asset condition reports for Newcastle surf clubs.

The club is also calling for a citywide surf club infrastructure strategy developed in consultation with the clubs that operate from these buildings.

"Council does not necessarily have to fund every replacement alone, but it must lead the process," Mr Clancy said.

"A clear council-endorsed strategy would give the NSW and Australian governments a credible avenue through which to provide appropriate funding support.

"Without an agreed plan, defined priorities and replacement-ready projects, opportunities for external funding will continue to be lost."

Cooks Hill SLSC supports more than 1300 members and provides volunteer lifesaving patrols, emergency response capability, education, junior activities, surf sports, accessibility programs and broader community services.

"Surf clubs are more than beachfront buildings. They are public-safety and community infrastructure that generate significant social, financial and economic benefits for Newcastle," Mr Clancy said.

"The community deserves to know the condition of these assets, and clubs deserve the certainty needed to secure their future and continue serving Newcastle for generations to come."

A City of Newcastle spokesperson said council was progressing the development of a Coastal Buildings Revitalisation Plan, which would help effectively plan for, deliver and manage coastal buildings in the short, medium and long term.

"The plan incorporates surf life saving clubs, lifeguard towers, beach kiosks, ocean bath pavilions, and amenities pavilions stretching from Stockton to Merewether," they said.

"These buildings provide essential services to our community while they spend time at our beaches.

"The plan's first stage, completed in 2025, sought feedback from the community and key stakeholders such as surf life saving clubs, Ambulance NSW, community groups and kiosk operators.

"Surf life saving clubs contributed to this process through surveys and in-person forums."

The spokesperson said City of Newcastle had also been progressing the development of the Southern Beaches Coastal Management Program (CMP), which had involved extensive consultation with surf life saving clubs, other key stakeholders and the community.

"The CMP will contain a series of actions to help us adapt and respond to both immediate and future changes on our coast," they said.

"As both projects progress, we will continue to engage with the surf clubs and the community.

"Alongside long-term renewal planning, City of Newcastle manages the ongoing maintenance of surf club facilities through routine inspections, responsive repairs and planned maintenance, helping to ensure these important community assets remain safe, functional and fit for purpose."