Millswood Croquet Club

The Millswood Croquet Club is a successful local sporting club with approximately 80 members with three full-size lit croquet lawns and a small clubhouse building within the Millswood Sporting Complex, Millswood Crescent.

In 2014, Council endorsed the Goodwood Oval and Millswood Sporting Complex Improvement Plan to provide a coordinated framework for long term improvements of the various sporting facilities within each of the sports precincts.

In 2017, Council endorsed three priority projects at Goodwood Oval and Millswood Sporting Complex aimed at improving existing facilities and increasing participation rates. The projects included upgrades to the Goodwood Oval (football and cricket) grandstand, sports lighting at Millswood Tennis Complex (Goodwood Oval) and a new building and surrounds at Millswood Croquet Club. At this time Council allocated $260,000 towards the development of a new club building and surrounds at the Millswood Croquet Club with further external funding to be sought before a commitment to proceed with this project is made.

In 2019, the Millswood Croquet Club was successful in attracting a Commonwealth Government Community Development Grants Programme (CDG) grant of $250,000, and the Club has also committed $50,000 to the project. Together with Council’s commitment of a contribution of $260,000, this provides a total available project budget of $560,000.

In response to these commitments, Council has undertaken a concept design for the new building and surrounds in 2019/20. This is the first step towards realising new clubrooms as part of the Club’s centenary in 2022.

The Council has been working with the clubs to implement the recommendations of the Millswood Sporting Complex Improvement Plan since 2014. In collaboration with the Croquet Club, the Concept Design aims to provide a member clubrooms area for approximately 50-60 people, expanded bar and kitchen area, office and sick bay, improved DDA disability access and toilets as well as storage.

The retention and upgrade of the existing clubrooms were considered, however, further analysis identified the existing building location and condition provided limited scope for updating and expansion.

As a result, a new clubroom building is proposed to be located in the centre of the site. This allows views across the three croquet lawns from the clubrooms, opening the views across the site, provides space for on-site parking and improved fencing and landscaping to the streetscape. The central location allows the existing large and notable Norfolk Island Pine to be retained and preserved.

The building design, materials and colours have been selected to reference the original clubroom and local neighbourhood character.

In addition to the proposed design, the Croquet Club is endeavouring to secure further State Government or other funding to increase the available budget and achieve an expanded clubroom for up to 80-90 people. Both options are provided for community consultation.

The Millswood Croquet Club is a successful local sporting club with approximately 80 members.

The current facility operates all year round, for a variety of activities including high level and club tournaments, coaching and social participation.  It includes a small club house building, three full-size croquet lawns with new lighting, off-street car parking for approximately seven (7) vehicles and a storage shed for maintenance equipment.

The existing Croquet Club building is small with limited facilities that no longer meet the Club’s needs or contemporary standards.  In addition, its location, form and age do not reasonably enable it to be effectively expanded.

The Millswood Sporting Complex Improvement Plan was endorsed by Council in 2014, and a long term (10 year) Implementation Plan subsequently approved in 2015. The Improvement Plan was the culmination of extensive community and stakeholder engagement to guide the future development of the two sports complexes. 

The development of the Improvement Plan was underpinned by the following guiding principles:

• Support the existing sports and users at the site whilst recognising there will need to be some compromises by each group for this to occur.
• Retain the focus on active ageing whilst providing activity opportunities for all age groups.
• Increase the community and social use of the Millswood Sporting Complex to achieve a well-used site and to strengthen the viability of the activities at the complex, whilst still maintaining and supporting opportunities for competition.
• Retain and enhance the unique character and community values of the site, including the character of buildings.
• Increase the shared use of the main building and spaces ensuring all groups and the broader community benefit from these.
• Strengthen the cooperation and communication between the sports and other users including in relation to the development, use and management of the facilities.

The Council has been working with the clubs to implement the recommendations of the Millswood Sporting Complex Improvement Plan since 2014.

Council considered a report on 12 August 2017 (Item 933) and endorsed three priority projects at Goodwood Oval and Millswood Sporting Complex, including upgrades to the Goodwood Oval grandstand (football and cricket), sports lighting at Millswood Tennis Complex (Goodwood Oval) and a new building and surrounds at Millswood Croquet Club.

At the Council meeting held on 27 November 2017 (Item 1021), Council confirmed that $260,000 be allocated towards the development of a new club building and surrounds at the Millswood Croquet Club and those discussions continue with possible external funding partners before a commitment was made to proceed with the project.

As the first part of the detailed design phase a suitable package of plans and report was prepared to seek Planning Consent for the development of a new clubhouse and associated upgraded site access, parking and landscaping at the Croquet Club facility at 20D Millswood Crescent Millswood.

The application was lodged in late May 2021.  Category 2 public notification occurred from 26 May 2021 to 17 June 2021.  Two representations were received, one indicating a desire to heard by the Council Assessment Panel at its meeting 20 July 2021.  The Council Assessment Panel considered the application and granted Planning Consent.

The Club’s desire for the expanded clubroom led to them committing to contribute additional funding to guarantee it could proceed in the event further State Government funding was not successful.

The application to vary the Planning Consent for an increase in the clubroom area was lodged in late August 2021.  Category 2 public notification occurred from 1 September to 22 September.  No representations were received.  Planning Consent was granted on 24 November 2021.

Council allocated funds in its 2020/21 Budget to undertake the detailed design and documentation for construction of the Croquet Club facility at 20D Millswood Crescent Millswood.

The project was awarded to Studio Nine Architects after an open tender process.  The program aimed to complete the detailed design and documentation by the end of June 2021 to allow for a tender call, process and awarding of contract to a builder.  Due to revised designs for expanded clubhouse and further planning approval process, the final Building Rules consent and development Approval continued until November 2021.

Council had allocated funds in its 2021/22 Budget to call a tender call for a builder in late June 2021 for submissions in August 2021. Following seeking further information and negotiations, the project was awarded in November 2021.

Construction is intended to commence in December 2021 and be completed by August 2022. 

There are two Regulated Trees on the Croquet site, a Norfolk Island Pine and a Jacaranda behind. 

The Jacaranda has been identified for removal to prioritise the retention of the Regulated Norfolk Island Pine which is a more prominent element in the landscape.  The Jacaranda also posed ongoing operational issues for the Croquet and Bowling Clubs; further supporting its removal.

The Jacaranda tree, situated on the northern edge of the existing car park area for the croquet club, is 5-10 metres in height and has a trunk circumference 2.19 metres.  It is largely obscured from view to the street due to its location within the middle of the site and by the more prominent Norfolk Island Pine.

The proposed development includes protection during construction and ongoing management of the Norfolk Island Pine as a portion of the proposed development encroaches on its Tree Protection Zone.

Arboricultural assessment has been provided to direct the management of the Norfolk Island Pine and on-site supervision will be provided during construction.

Increased tree planting of species appropriate to the new carpark and street frontage is proposed as part of the new landscaping of the site.

Noting the increased growth of the Croquet Club, and the ageing club house, the Croquet Club was successful in attracting a Commonwealth Government Community Development Grants Programme (CDG) grant in 2019 of $250,000, and the Club has committed $50,000 to the project.  Together with Council’s long term commitment of $260,000, this provides a total available project budget of $560,000.

The Croquet Club has been keen to pursue the expanded clubroom for up to 80-90 people.  The Club is endeavouring to secure further State Government, or if not successful their own additional funding, to increase the available budget to achieve the expanded clubroom.