FRESH designs for a new Tocumwal visitor information centre will be considered, after a shire councillor said having only one architectural firm submit plans was wrong.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Previously Wagga company GPG Architecture and Design had submitted plans for a two-storey building incorporating an upmarket eatery, commercial areas and tourist hub.
Tocumwal councillor Ross Bodey said correct procedure ought to have been followed originally and more feedback sought.
"We chose wrongly to go with one architect and it should have gone to tender in the first instance," Cr Bodey said.
But fellow Tocumwal councillor Dennis Glanville said there had been consultation occurring since 2016 with little community input.
"If it was me I would just build what we've got," Cr Glanville said.
"At the end of the day community consultation is not going to be of any value whatsoever because you're going to ignore it and make a council decision."
Concerns about meeting the need to have the building constructed by June next year were raised.
As part of a NSW-funded Murray River tourism project, the shire would need permission from the state government and fellow grant recipients, Albury and Federation councils, to extend the deadline.
According to the timeline put on Wednesday, there would now be three weeks public consultation with the existing and new designs, a final choice in June and development application determined on August 12.
That would be three days before the caretaker period begins prior to the council election on September 12.
Tocumwal Chamber of Commerce president Sergio Redegalli, who was at Wednesday's meeting, wants the new council to vote on the final design.
He tipped the election would result in a majority of fresh councillors and felt it was wrong for the existing team to decide the matter given its ongoing impact.
"They're not the ones cutting the ribbons, they're not the ones juggling the books to try and pay for the build," Mr Redegalli said.
He queried how useful canvassing further plans would be, claiming architects would not want to put "a lot of energy" into the process because design and construction were not split.
Council general manager Rowan Perkins told councillors it was unclear if having more proposals "will generate wider support for a concept or rather if it will only create more division and debate".
