DA lodged for ‘shovel ready’ Grafton pool redevelopment

Geoff Helisma

Clarence Valley Council (CVC) has taken the next step towards redeveloping the Grafton Regional Pool, having lodged a development application (DA) with itself to support the project’s ‘shovel ready’ status of Stage 1 – the DA is on exhibition and submissions can be made up until 4pm on February 11.

With an estimated $15million price tag, the pool tops a wish-list of “priority projects” that CVC plans “to present to candidates for the [upcoming] election, with the view to these projects being funded by the next federal government”.

Councillors unanimously endorsed the list “in no particular order” at the November 2021 CVC meeting.

To date, CVC has spent $700,592 of the detailed design’s $700,000 budget.

The councils 2021/22 operation plan allocates $10,000 for Grafton “pool structure renewal” and a further $100,000 for Grafton “pool detail design”.

When asked for clarification, CVC responded: “The total project budget for the Grafton pool detailed design is $700,000, as outlined in the November 2021 works report.

“The detailed design commenced in the prior year and so funding was largely expended in 2020/21.

“The current operational plan has a Grafton pool detailed design allocation of $100,000.

“This is a portion of the $700,000 that was carried forward to 2021-22 as the design was still being finalised early in this financial year.

“What’s on exhibition now is for the Development Application for Stage 1.

“The DA is only for part of the works that need consent.

“The value of this portion is $7,843,208 being the demolition of the existing pool and structures, construction of the new indoor enclosure and construction of a grandstand.

“All other components are permitted without consent.”

According to the minutes of the November CVC meeting, the $15million Stage 1 includes: