A proposal to turn ten hectares of Regand Park into a sports facility has been supported by Dubbo Regional Council.
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St John's Junior Rugby League Football Club has a plan to build four full-sized playing fields at the site. Phase two of the plan includes a gymnasium, cricket nets and netball fields to be used for training.
In total, the project is expected to cost about $6.8 million.
But not all of Dubbo's councillors agree. In a vote on Monday night, deputy mayor Stephen Lawrence and councillor Anne Jones voted against the idea.
The other councillors - with the exception of Dayne Gumley and Vicki Etheridge who were absent - agreed to "welcome" the project, contingent on the council staff approving of the site drawings and technical plans.
Councillor Kevin Parker said additional sporting fields could "only make us look better".
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Dubbo's sporting fields were the city's strongest assets, he said.
Councillor Greg Mohr said it was "remarkable" that a football club was looking at funding sporting fields. He said they would also cover the general maintenance and upkeep of the grounds if the plan goes ahead.
"One thing that Dubbo does lack is football ovals and it does lack some sporting facilities," Cr Mohr said.
"There is opportunity for other clubs to potentially do the same agreement down the line as what St John's Junior Rugby League want to do."
St John's JRLFC needs council's support to apply for grant funding. Phase one is expected to cost $2.6 million, with the club chipping in $260,000.
While mayor Ben Shields has backed the proposal, in his mayoral minute to council he said there were mandatory considerations at Regand Park that would have to be considered before and development project. That includes flood planning, stormwater management, sewage and car parking.
Cr Shields said the proposed fields also needed to be considered as part of Dubbo's open space plan.
"Several sports have approached council recently suggesting they would like to expand their playing fields and sports precincts to accommodate greater participation numbers and competition capabilities," he said.
"Rugby league needs to be considered holistically, in collaboration with other sport needs."
For sporting fields to be constructed at the site a council motion from 2018 preventing capital improvements at Regand Park will also have to be rescinded.
The vote on rescinding the motion will be held in March.
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