NORTH RYDE RSL SPORTS CLUB 

It is a great little suburban club, with lots going on. You can watch regular Shute Shield rugby and rugby league games, participate in weekly raffles, enter into a major draw every Friday night, and enjoy a great restaurant - Wings, serving both Chinese and pub-style cuisine at value for money prices.

146-150 Vimiera Road, Marsfield, 2122

02 9868 4222

Wings at Eastwood

Wings at North Ryde RSL Sports Club is a family bistro where everyone is welcome, there's no better place to have casual meal with friends and family.

Open for lunch and dinner from Wednesday to Sunday, you'll find great value bistro and chinese meals.

Bookings can be made directly on 02 9868 5212.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

The History of TG Millner Field

TG Millner Field has been an important fixture in the history of the Ryde community since it was first developed from scrubland by Eastwood Rugby Club and Col. Tom Millner in the 1950s - when Marsfield was predominantly a rural area.

In 2000, North Ryde RSL entered into an agreement with Vimiera Recreation Grounds Limited (a company associated with Eastwood Rugby Club and the long-term owner of the land) to ‘save TG Millner’ as Eastwood Rugby Club was on the verge of bankruptcy due to the changing demographics of the area and declining interest in rugby. In this regard, North Ryde RSL entered into a long-term lease of the TG Millner property and assumed responsibility for the operation of the registered Club and maintenance of the facility, while enabling Eastwood Rugby Club to continue to play at TG Millner.

In 2016, due to the continued decline in rugby participation in the local area, North Ryde RSL was advised by Eastwood Rugby Club that it would be moving to a new state-of-the-art facility in Castle Hill – containing three (3) brand new fields that is more central to Eastwood Rugby’s main player base.

North Ryde RSL, as the long-term lessee, were approached by Vimiera Recreation Grounds in 2017 regarding the possible purchase of the property. After due diligence, we agreed to purchase the property and developed plans to rejuvenate the football grounds together with the construction of underground car parking, and a new club house. To fund the re-development, it was proposed that the new plans would include low rise over-55’s living. We believed then and still do, that this would have been a great outcome for the club and the community - removing traffic congestion around the grounds on game days, opening up the fields to other users and rejuvenating the licenced club by providing facilities for the over 55’s. This plan was stymied by a decision of the New South Wales Government in 2018, driven by the State Member for Ryde, to place a moratorium on development in the Ryde Local Government Area and the plan was shelved.

Marsfield Common

The second proposal, known as Marsfield Common* was submitted to Council on 18 May 2022, addressing all the matters raised by Council officers in pre-lodgement discussions and was supported and praised by Ryde Council officers in the original planning stages. While Council officers worked to meet the timeframes set out in the relevant legislation, Ryde Council did not meet the statutory deadlines it was required to meet to consider the planning proposal. The proposal was subsequently submitted to the NSW Government via the Department of Planning and Environment for consideration by the relevant Sydney District Planning Panel in December 2022. The Panel refused the application based on advice from Council that the site was likely to be acquired for public open space purposes in the near future.

In October 2022, NRRSL also took the preliminary steps to prepare a State Significant Development Application for the redevelopment of the TG Millner site for seniors housing. As part of this process, the Department of Planning and Environment has issued Secretary's Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs). This process provides for the seniors housing application to be assessed by the Department with a subsequent decision to be made by the Independent Planning Commission and/or the Land & Environment Court.

The Future of TG Millner

On 22 November 2022, Ryde Council initiated a non-exclusive negotiation process with North Ryde RSL to purchase the site. The compulsory negotiation period ending on 22 May 2023 without any agreement being reached.

At a Ryde Council meeting on 23 May 2023, Councillors approved a motion “to take any and all steps necessary” to protect TG Millner as green open space in perpetuity, a decision that was reinforced again by Council at its June 2023 Council meeting.

Following the 23 May 2023 meeting, Ryde Council has written to the Minister for Local Government seeking permission to issue a PAN (Property Acquisition Notice) and compulsorily acquire the site.

As of late September, we are unaware if Council has received a response from the Minister in relation to its request.

North Ryde RSL has previously advised that we are comfortable with Ryde Council acquiring the site at a fair market value and we reiterate our support for this process. North Ryde RSL is unable to make any future plans for the site until the Council’s compulsory acquisition process is worked through, hopefully with a favourable outcome for all.

Please find links below to recent correspondence provided to members in relation to the status of TG Millner Field.

Any future updates that are sent to members will also be provided as a link.

*For more information on the Marsfield Common proposal, visit https://marsfieldcommon.com.au/.

T.G. Millner field update 11/07/2023 

T.G. Millner field update 10/05/2023

T.G Millner field update 5/10/2022

T.G Millner field update 25/07/2022