Eurobodalla Mayor Liz Innes and council representatives spoke at a public meeting at Club Catalina on Monday.

Cr Innes told the crowd at the Batemans Bay Indoor Aquatic Centre meeting that Eurobodalla Shire Council had three weeks to submit concept plans to the NSW Government in its application for grant funding under the Regional Cultural Fund.

The council is considering two draft plans for the site, from consultants Otium Planning Group. The first would see an aquatic/recreational facility and arts/cultural centre under one roof on Crown Land at the southern end of the precinct on the existing pool site.

Option two would see the facilities separated, utilising the council-owned Batemans Bay Bowling Club site.

Director of planning and sustainability, Lindsay Usher, said the former option was more economically viable, at an estimated cost of $46 million to combine the facilities.

Mr Usher said splitting the facilities would add $2.8 million and an additional $300,000 a year in operating costs.

“We’ve got to come up with an affordable solution,” Mr Usher said.

Tensions splashed out over plans for a 25-metre rather than 50-metre pool.

While Cr Innes confirmed space was not an issue in the decision, costs were. A 50-metre pool would require an extra $6.5 million to develop and cost ratepayers upwards of $260,000 a year to operate, Mr Usher said.

“This is a draft. These lines can be rubbed out … you can take out your 25-metre pool and put in a 50-metre pool,” Cr Innes said.

“If I had a magic wand and a massive bucket of money, we’d have it all.”

Cr Innes said the council wanted to cater for a broad cross-section of people.

She said joining the facilities would leave the bowling site unencumbered and allow tourist accommodation or units on the site. She said accommodation was declining in Batemans Bay.

The council will meet later this month to decide on the concept plan to be included in its application to the state government, due on September 4.