Tamworth's new aquatic centre could take yet another step forward this week.
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Tamworth Regional councillors will be asked to authorise the General Manager, Paul Bennett, to act as the landowner for the submission of a Development Application (DA) in relation to the project, when they meet on Tuesday night.
They will also be asked to approve in-principle the proposed concept design; and allocate money from the Regional Development fund to enable work on a more detailed concept design to continue.
The total budget for the aquatic and sport health centre is $45 million.
As well as the main 50 metre indoor swimming pool, with spectator seating; an indoor warm water pool in a separate aquatics hall with spa and ramped entry; a sauna; a cafe and gym; fitness and program rooms; allied health consulting rooms; a Northern Inland Centre of Sport and Health; and other facilities; "additional facility elements have been included and are intended to be optional extras for the future design and construct tender," the report reads.
"These elements include a creche and expanded sports administration area.
"Both elements are intended to be included to increase the revenue return for the facility and to increase the functionality of the services provided, however will only be constructed if project funding permits."
A development application will need to be submitted to the planning authority and currently the project team is working to prepare and finalise the relevant reports and documentation, according to the report to go to the councillors.
"The development is considered [a] Regionally Significant Development based on the capital investment value and will require determination by the Northern Regional Planning Panel."
Councillors will be asked to allocate a further $200,000 so work on a more detailed concept design can be completed.
The report says a Councillor workshop will be held towards the end of the Phase 2 detailed design stage.
"This is specifically timed to ensure that sufficient design work has been completed for key facility design elements to be considered while also being early enough in the project to allow minor amendments where possible," according to the report.
"This workshop will include information around the decisions made in development of the design, including how the functionality of the 50m pool is being maximised."
Who will operate the new facility is also yet to be determined, with the two main options being council staff or a third-party operator.
There will also be sections of the facility that will be sub-tenanted "including the gym, sport science, sports administration, allied health and cafe elements".
The report also notes that should the project be terminated for whatever reason, that council will likely have to spend between $10 million and $20 million on Tamworth's two existing swimming pools over the next decade.
Council is also waiting on the outcome of an application for $15 million from the Australian Government's Growing Regions Program.
As part of the Development Application process there will be 28-day public notification and exhibition period.