Clutha District Council manager, planning and environment, Murray Brass said yesterday 10 submissions had been received, which were split evenly for and against the project.
The ORC opposed the application because the car parking area would be constructed on the site of a former landfill and was contaminated.
It also said while the applicant had offered to fix any damage that might occur to neighbouring properties during construction, it did not identify any potential damage to the floodbank.
"Should the floodbanks be adversely affected by these activities, the effects could be catastrophic for Balclutha."
The ORC had asked the CDC to decline consent unless certain conditions were met by the applicants.
These included inspections of the floodbank before, during and after construction.
Those in favour of the recreation centre say the facility will promote health and wellbeing in the community.
The Dreaver Courts in Glasgow St - the proposed site of the development - needed to be replaced, and building an enclosed multisport facility would ensure sport could be played all year round.
The Edgar Centre, in Dunedin, had been "a phenomenal success for the people of Dunedin and the wider Otago region", and benefits from the project would far outweigh any negative effects, they said.
The four other submissions opposing the centre came from Glasgow St residents, who cited the visual impact of the building, noise while it was being constructed, increased traffic volume, loss of privacy and loss of property values.
Mr Brass said a pre-hearing meeting would be held about mid-August.
