Magazine: Geelong Golf club an Eyesore
By Editor in Golf on 4th Sep 2008 6:00
The Geelong Golf Club site is the city's biggest eyesore, according to MP Ian Trezise.
Mr Trezise yesterday launched a scathing attack on the Ballarat Rd course's owners, who he said had taken what was once a proud symbol of Geelong's history and turned it into a rubbish dump. "It's akin to a rubbish tip and it's the number one eyesore in Geelong right now," said Mr Trezise, a staunch opponent of the owner's development plans.
"I drive past it every day and I have to say it makes me angry, it's on one of the main thoroughfares into Geelong."
The owner, developer Links Living, has not yet lodged a planning application with the City of Greater Geelong despite winning a two-year battle to have the land rezoned residential in 2005.
A council spokesman yesterday said the City had not seen any final plans for the North Geelong site. The end to the 112-year-old course came in 2002 after the developer bought out the club and took responsibility for its debt, which had eclipsed $2 million.
It was Australia's only course on its original site until developer Links Living closed it in 2004 when the council refused its first development plan.
The council approved the second rezoning application after Links scaled back its concept, including 200 houses. Links last year decided to sell the land, calling for expressions of interest, but took it off the market this year, resolving to go ahead with the development.
Mr Trezise said it was "heartbreaking" that the site now looked like a dump when it had been the proud home of Geelong's golfers for more than 100 years. "I don't even know if they mow it," he said.
"Links Living ... has maintained the overall site in a reasonable manner with an ongoing mowing regime in place to coincide with the major grass growing times and fire safety preparation periods," Mr Smith said.
Source & More: www.geelongadvertiser.com.au
Article By Rebecca Tucker
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