Course Closures - Another one bites the dust

[Sydney Hacker]

Hopefully that is not golf’s equivalent of a football coach having the full backing of the board.

[pt73]

Some good news about Oakleigh GC.

https://australianseniorgolfer.com.a...rse-reprieved/

[pt73]

Mark Wahlberg lends his support to save Moore Park (or should they rename it Clover Moore Park)

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/...30-p5fgbn.html

Moore Park Golf Club has an unlikely new ally in American actor Mark Wahlberg, who has filmed a video “pleading” with Sydneysiders to save the 100-year-old golf club ahead of plans to halve it in size.

The golf course will shrink from 18 holes to 9 and the remaining land will be turned into a new central park in an attempt to provide green space to residents around Green Square, Zetland and Waterloo as housing becomes denser in the area, the state government announced last year.

In a video on Saturday, an impassioned Wahlberg acknowledged he was not a citizen of Australia but asked those who were to “save Moore Park Golf Club”.

“It’s been here for over 100 years, it’s been giving people hundreds and hundreds of years of pleasure and joy,” the Shooter star said in a video filmed on the course on Saturday afternoon.

“Please, I’ve seen lots and lots of parks and I haven’t seen too many lovely public golf courses like this that have access for everybody. Please save Moore Park Golf Club.”

I left out the dribble from Minns trying to justify it.

[markTHEblake]

Here we go again.

There is a billion acres of usable flat land between GC and BNE, 17km north of Arundel GC site, mostly sugar cane farms. That state has classified these areas as a green belt (or something like that) The need for more housing argument just doesnt cut it.
Why a State Minister is so keen to overturn a Councils decision to refuse a rezoning application by interstate developers, for what will be a small number of high priced homes, begs the question what is her true motivation.
She is after all parroting the developers primary slogan that the Gold Coast has "more golf courses per capita than anywhere in the country"

Yet I would wager thats a lie. surely Mornington Peninsular has more golf courses per capita.





https://archive.is/Sl8B4

Arundel Hills Golf Club: Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon makes dramatic intervention

Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon is considering using her powers to over-ride Gold Coast Council and approve plans for a residential development in Arundel.

In a dramatic move, Ms Scanlon has opened public consultation on using her powers to green light development at the Arundel Hills golf course.
Ms Scanlon’s move comes despite council unanimously refusing an application for a $150m residential estate at the rundown course in January.
Council planning committee chair Mark Hammel at the time described a nine-page report by City officers recommending refusal as “the strongest I’ve seen”.
He said the planned residential development would see the removal of 75,000 sqm of vegetation and four waterways.
“The impact on existing fauna would be catastrophic,” he said.

However Ms Scanlon on Monday night said the Arundel location was “a key potential housing site” and said the Gold Coast had “more golf courses per capita than anywhere in the country.
She has now given people 15 days to have their say on whether the development should be called in.
“I have notified stakeholders, including the developers and the community, that I
am considering a call in for the proposed Arundel development,” Ms Scanlon
said.

“Any decision to ultimately call in this application will be made based on planning
merit and in consideration of any representations received during the 15 day
consultation period.
“The proposal is of significant scale and is identified as a key potential housing
site on the Gold Coast – which has more golf courses per capita than anywhere
else in the country.
“In making a decision about whether to call in the project, I will consider a range of state interests including housing supply, infrastructure and the environment.
“Ensuring we have diverse and affordable housing supply is a key part of our
Homes for Queenslanders plan and I am focused on delivering that.”
The Arundel Hills golf course closed in May 2022.

[AndyP]

As you say, it is hard to see it being "affordable housing" in that area.

[aussieashley]

This last part kind of sounds to me like she doesn't really care what council and residents want.
Is the Ministers decision final or can it be appealed/overruled by someone else?

“In making a decision about whether to call in the project, I will consider a range of state interests including housing supply, infrastructure and the environment.
“Ensuring we have diverse and affordable housing supply is a key part of our
Homes for Queenslanders plan and I am focused on delivering that.”

[aussieashley]

As you say, it is hard to see it being "affordable housing" in that area.

The paper is reporting today that the developer will assure the State Govt it can provide affordable housing.My gut feel is that this will get approved. The Arundel community group has numbers and seems very well organised. Council overwhelmingly rejected the development but I’m not sure the Minister cares too much about either. SEQ needs more houses & these guys will provide some.

[markTHEblake]

My concern is it will be a huge precedent if the Minister approves this. Every privately owned golf course will want to sell out, and every members club will want to cash out and relocate.

Arundel Hills is a master planned site, original developers are required to allocate green space as a portion. If someone is later permitted to fill in that green space, what is the point in the first place.