Alternative Site Investigations for Evac Multi-Purpose Centre

Published on 25 May 2022

Snowy Valleys Council has agreed to scope out alternative site locations for the Tumut Evacuation and Multi-purpose facility with a view to reducing construction costs while ensuring any facility built remains fit for purpose and is delivered within the grant funded budget.

At their May meeting last week Council received a report on the outcomes of the Due Diligence exercise for the Tumut Evacuation and Multi-purpose facility, compiled by staff at the completion of the project planning phase as part the project governance framework.

The updated cost plan within the Due Diligence report identified a rise in project estimates for the Evacuation and Multi-purpose facility, slated for installation at the Bull Paddock, from $10,685,333 to $16,511,150 based on current plans and increased construction costs.

Mayor Ian Chaffey said the escalating costs were totally unacceptable to the council.

“We’re not in the position to fund the shortfall in capital expenditure and as such council has made a recommendation that we reinvestigate the issue with the view of relocating the facility and identifying exactly what the potential user requirements are to prevent cost overruns,” he said.

The Due Diligence report contained detailed revised cost estimates, stakeholder feedback and information on the limited ability of the facility to attract income through the inclusion of additional commercial use spaces.

The revised cost plan was based on the detailed designs founded on geotechnical, engineering, environmental and stakeholder feedback gathered during the planning and design project phase.

Although the development of the design remained largely consistent with the original concept, differences in the resulting detailed design included:

• A parking level under the building to address site constraints and minimise the size and visual impact of the facility
• Increasing the size of the non-court area to accommodate catering and function opportunities for community and commercial use
• Increased spectator seating and a community use meeting room on a mezzanine level

These changes to the original concept have been estimated to cost $4M.

Cr Chaffey said that council had taken the opportunity to have a look at a development in an adjoining council which had given them a number of potential opportunities for the Tumut development into the future.

“Council is generally of the opinion that we will end up with a facility that will not cost as much as the current proposal,” he said.

Grant funding of $10,685,333 was provided to Council through the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund for the construction of the facility, based on the preliminary cost plan provided by an independent Quantity Surveyor in November 2020.

Council utilised the services of the same Quantity Surveyor to review the documentation and revise the cost plan included in the Due Diligence report.

-ENDS-