'One step forward, two steps back': Piper vents over lack of progress on new Morisset sports centre

It's been 18 months since Premier Chirs Minns visited the picturesque grounds of Morisset Hospital to endorse plans for a new $40 million sports centre on the site.

NSW Sports Minister Steve Kamper took things a step further last December when he confirmed seven hectares of the 520-hectare hospital site would be transferred to the Office of Sport.

He added the government "wasn't going to muck around" when it came to getting work underway on the much-needed community facility.

The previous sport and recreation centre at Myuna Bay closed suddenly in 2019 due to fears the nearby Eraring power station ash dam could collapse in an earthquake.

But almost a year on, precious little has been achieved.

This year's state budget papers show the project is now not expected to be completed until 2030, more than a decade after the Myuna Bay facility closed.

The government also confirmed this week that the land transfer had still not occurred, despite the establishment of a project coordination group to oversee the process.

Independent Member for Lake Macquarie Greg Piper, a key government ally, said he was dismayed by the lack of progress at the Morisset Hospital site.

"I'm at a point where I don't want to continue to talk this up only to disappoint people. It's a situation where we take one step forward and two steps back," Mr Piper said during a visit to the site on Thursday.

"Im very frustrated, and I know the community is as well. It's going to be at least a couple of years before people are out here onsite using any of the facilities."

Budget papers show $800,000 has been spent to date, and $700,000 has been allocated for this financial year.

While the hospital will continue operating until sometime in 2027, Mr Piper said it was essential to begin enabling works, including the upgrade of existing infrastructure, to expedite the construction of the new sport centre.

"It's a magnificent site, but to be able to do what the community wants, there's got to be a lot more money available to do basic things such as upgrade the roads water, sewer and electricity," he said.

"We're stuck in that space at the moment; we're working with the hospital administration so we can bring sport in to start doing some of the early works before they leave."