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Consultation on new media centre for Manuka Oval

B2B Editor20 February 2017

Designs for a new Manuka Oval media centre, needed to host Canberra’s first cricket Test match, against Sri Lanka in November 2018, will be developed in consultation with the community.

The specific requirements needed to meet International Cricket Council standards still leave room for community input into the design and location of the new facility so it complements its historic Manuka Oval environment.

The government will hold two workshops with stakeholders and community representatives to assist the project’s designer, Populous Design, to incorporate community needs and expectations.

The first workshop will establish principles and characteristics for the design and external features of the new media centre.

The second workshop will provide feedback on a draft design before the final design is completed by the end of March.

Members of the broader community will have two opportunities to provide feedback at www.yoursay.act.gov.au – on the principles and characteristics from 3-10 March and on the draft design from 23-30 March.

As the ACT Government has no current plans for development in the areas immediately surrounding Manuka Oval, the previously announced consultation on the future of the precinct will take place after this media centre consultation.

The National Capital Authority will soon consult with the community on a draft Development Control Plan (DCP) for the Canberra Avenue and Manuka Circle precinct. The ACT Government has provided advice to the NCA as to its requirements, which will be incorporated into the revised DCP.

Cricket Australia’s usual preference is to place media centres at the northern end of grounds, to avoid glare issues for media. However, with a proposed height of about 17.5 metres, the scale of the media centre would overwhelm the heritage-listed Manuka Pool and the Curator’s Cottage.

Instead the government proposes that the media centre be built at the southern end (like at Adelaide Oval), where its scale is similar to existing buildings. The centre will have an extended roofline to remove glare issues.

ICC media and broadcast facility requirements include:

  • Print press room with 75 seated desk positions.
  • Print breakout area.
  • Access to catering for the print press.
  • Press conference facility with room for 50 seated journalists and 10-15 broadcast cameras.
  • Two TV broadcast studios.
  • TV broadcast compound and storage rooms.
  • Camera deck behind the bowler’s arm.
  • Six radio boxes each with seating for six people.
  • Scorers box.
  • Photographers room.

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