By Editor in Golf on 18th Apr 2008 6:00
Ashlar Golf Club, part of Blacktown's cultural and open space heritage, could be sliced up for housing.
Urban Pacific would take over the Ashlar site, which could reap tens of millions of dollars given its potential for housing
development.
Urban Pacific NSW general manager Paul Hedge said it would be "premature" to predict the outcome of the Ashlar site should the deal go ahead.
"We are going through our due diligence now but at this stage it looks like any future use would require rezoning," Mr Hedge said.
"Given the site's proximity to the (Blacktown) CBD and the rail station and Blacktown Council's recent efforts to revitalise the area, we would think some sort of housing would be appropriate."We would anticipate that there will be a lot of interest in any proposed redevelopment."
Urban Pacific manages the Medallist lifestyle brand, a specialised residential golf course development company.Medallist is a joint venture between Greg Norman's Great White Shark Enterprises and the Macquarie Group.
Ashlar Golf Club dates back to 1929 when an 18-hole course was opened with the name St Andrews.After World War II, the club was purchased for about $22,000 by a group of Freemasons and re-opened under the name Ashlar in 1947. The Ashlar Golf Course is one of a small number of legitimate "St Andrews" courses in Australia and is in peak condition most of the year because of its abundant water supply. Over 30,000 rounds of golf are played annually in organised club competitions and social golfing by members and social golfers accounts for a further 30,000 rounds of golf each year.
Source: www.blacktownadvocate.com.au
