The Newcastle Knights hope to start building their $18 million Centre of Excellence at Broadmeadow early next year after the project was approved this week.
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Newcastle councillors gave the training base the green light on Tuesday after the nearby Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service had won a court injunction the previous week to block the vote.
The service argued elements of the Knights centre were incompatible with its helicopter maintenance base, but the two sides resolved their differences in mediation talks last week.
A report to councillors said the Knights had agreed to remove floodlighting from the field nearest the helicopter base.
Rescue service boss Richard Jones, a former professional rugby league player, said he was pleased with the outcome.
"We are grateful that the approved design considers the needs of our service so that we can safely co-exist on the site and have no doubt the centre will be a very positive asset for the region," Mr Jones said.
Knights chief executive Phil Gardner said the club hoped to call for tenders before Christmas and start building early in the new year.
The club had planned to move into the centre by the start of pre-season training in November 2020, but Mr Gardner said the opening would be some time after that.
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