A new indoor pool could be coming to Bungendore, but there’s a hefty price tag. Image: Supplied.
A regional council has said it is “unlikely to operate” two pools in one town as it moves ahead with planning for a multi-million dollar facility.
Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council (QPRC) has been working on an expansion of the Bungendore Sports Hub, which it has named the Bungendore Aquatic Centre.
According to documents lodged with the development application (DA), the centre will be located to the north of the site and be accessible through a proposed carpark in the northeast.
Concept designs have been lodged on the NSW Planning Portal, proposing a one-storey building with a 2141 sqm gross floor area.
It would contain a 25-metre, eight-lane pool, a splash pad and tiered seating.
Other planned facilities include a reception area, an office for staff, a cafe, cold and dry storage and toilet amenities.
“The design is somewhat already decided following extensive consultation with user groups,” a QPRC spokesperson told Region.
“No major changes are expected to the design unless required to enable the development application to be approved.”
The plans include a cafe, amenities and a 25-metre indoor pool. Image: Supplied.
If approved, it will join other sporting infrastructure at the sports hub, such as the existing hard-court netball courts, playing fields, and the pavilion building – and an existing pool on Majara Street.
The council spokesperson said it was “unlikely to operate” the two pools, with further community consultation flagged.
“If the new pool is built, the community will be consulted on what to do with the current pool site, noting that it is located on Crown reserve managed by council, for recreational and community purposes.”
In late 2025, QPRC also sought feedback on a proposal to rezone private and council-owned land around the facility into either the RU1 Primary Production or RE1 Public Recreation category.
This would clear a path for planning the project to move ahead.
The QPRC spokesperson said the proposal had not been finalised, pointing to a provision under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 that allows them to lodge the DA at the current time.
Instead, a decision is expected in early 2026.
An acoustics assessment included in the DA recommends the ceilings be lined with acoustically absorptive materials, and carpet or wall panelling be used to help absorb sound.
It also calls for a barrier to help shield noise from heat pumps and other mechanical equipment.
“The surrounding acoustic environment is dominated by traffic noise from Bungendore Road and Kings Highway, located approximately 300 m north and 200 m east from the proposed site respectively, as well as plant noise from Bungendore Sewage Treatment Plant located approximately 50 m north from the site,” the document states.
QPRC has said an opening date for the planned facility is unclear. Image: Supplied.
A waste management plan predicts the Bungendore Aquatic Centre, with patronage of about 1350 people per week, would generate 945 L of garbage and 105 L of organic waste per week.
The document also states that waste will be sorted on-site before being collected by a QPRC collection service.
Council staff are expected to assess the aquatic centre’s DA, before it is presented to the Southern Regional Panel for a decision.
“There is currently no expected opening date. The project construction is contingent on funding,” the spokesperson said.
“An approved development with consent is the first step in securing potential grant funds, and this would be a significant milestone.”
The council’s DA portal states that it all comes with an estimated cost of about $29,482,200.
The DA documents, under an Application ID of DA.2025.0576, are available on the council’s website.
