Work on the Aquatic Complex at the National Sport Centre will hopefully start within the next month, said Sean Tucker, chairman of the Board of Trustees for the NSC, yesterday.

However the Development Applications Board in their last meeting decided to defer the final decision for work to go ahead after various concerns.

The application by the trustees was for an "Aquatic Complex Phase 1, consisting of a proposed 50 metre pool, diving platform, spectator seating, temporary changing facility, mechanical support areas and temporary surface parking area."

The DAB said: "Concern was expressed over the reliance on a 'temporary' changing room facility for the Aquatics Centre, given the example of those at the National Stadium, brought in in 1987 and still in use but in a very poor state of repair. The Board asked that the applicant be asked how long this temporary period is proposed to be, and discussed placing a time limit on the period during which a temporary changing room facility could be used. The Board also questioned the temporary facility's appearance, noting that it did not reference the 'Bermuda Image' in any regard. At minimum, the Board asked that the temporary facility be screened with landscaping sufficient to buffer the view of it from the cricket pitch, in particular. The Board also asked about plans for replacement of the trailers used for change room facilities elsewhere on the National Sports Centre."

The Board said they would defer the application pending receipt of additional information.

But yesterday Tucker said that the "temporary facility" would indeed be temporary.

"Everything is coming along well," said Tucker of plans for the Aquatic Centre. "We are just about to get final planning approval and we will break ground soon. Right now we are in the process of interviewing labour and hopefully we will get rolling in the next month."

Of the DAB's concerns about the temporary changing room facility, Tucker said: "They wanted to know how long the temporary facility was going to be there and what was deemed to be temporary. The architects have to come back and explain (that to them)."

The trustees also resubmitted the Master Plan for the NSC which was approved by the DAB.

"The application has been made before and I believe that this was just a revisal. The old centre core as we call it, has been approved but there may have been some small modifications."

That Master Plan is indeed ambitious. It calls for the NSC to be composed of the Aquatics Center; netball courts, west block with sports medicine clinic, meeting rooms, a 50-bed dormitory, the Sports Hall of Fame, a main building with gymnasium, squash courts, fitness centre, meeting space and surface parking.

"The purpose of that application is just confirmation that once the money is there is can go ahead," said Tucker adding, "and of course that is down the road. It is our vision (of what the NSC can be). At this stage we are just proceeding with the pool."