Newcastle council will not rely on state or federal grants to upgrade its ocean baths pavilions.
Councillors voted on Tuesday night to prepare new concept designs for the pavilion upgrades based on community consultation after a strident public backlash against the council's surprise call before Christmas to seek commercial proposals for redeveloping them.
The council has rejected the three expressions of interest it received for the Newcastle pavilion and the one it received for Merewether and vowed to form a "community reference group" to "guide the restoration" of the pavilions.
It said three weeks ago that it would explore options for state and federal grants to help the restoration.
On Tuesday night, councillors agreed the city would pursue grants "without relying on external funding if it is not forthcoming".
Friends of Newcastle Ocean Baths, one of the parties invited to join the reference group, said on Monday that it was concerned the council was forming the group with a preconceived desire to build a restaurant and gymnasium at the Newcastle pavilion.
The council said in a media statement on Tuesday that it had received a range of ideas during the first stage of consultation, including shade structures, a community space for hire, gym, change room upgrades and a kiosk or restaurant.
But it said "any suggestion that plans for the future use of the site are predetermined is false".
