Improvements to sports fields and facilities is among the areas of consideration as Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, in consultation with user groups, looks at options to support the needs of sports groups in Port Macquarie.

Discussions between the council and sports groups have been productive, a council report said.

A report to the February council meeting said options discussed include home ground relocation opportunities, planning and pre-allocation of new sports fields, and improvements to sports fields and facilities.

Some clubs and organisations have presented detailed options to support their immediate and future needs.

Cr Rob Turner said the report to the council meeting raised some issues.

He said the council needed to get moving on sports fields and nothing had changed in that regard.

Cr Mike Cusato, in speaking about the council report, said this was a very strategic step in planning.

Port Macquarie-Hastings mayor Peter Besseling said the council was faced with a big task.

He said pressure on sports fields was not a bad thing.

“It means we have an active and engaged community and we want to encourage that as much as we can,” he said.

The council has asked the general manager to report to the July council meeting about progress against the adopted Recreation Action Plan 2015-2025.

The report will also propose an updated implementation plan that incorporates additional priorities identified in the optimising utilisation of Port Macquarie sports fields report. 

The council will consider an allocation in the development of the 2017-2018 budget and operational plan to carry out priority works to be identified in the updated Recreation Action Plan. 

Meanwhile, the council is also working towards the development of a multi-use regional sports precinct at Wauchope.