Magazine - Carving up Geelong G.C

By Editor in Golf on 7th Sep 2010 10:00

Developers wanting to carve up one of Australia's oldest golf courses have been accused of trying to railroad the Geelong council into approving a plan for the site that many say will short-change the community.

The Links Group, which obtained the Geelong Golf Course under controversial circumstances seven years ago and has faced growing criticism for reneging on part of its purchase deal, said in a statement last week that work on the site hinged on the City of Greater Geelong approving new plans.

But the council says Links is trying to mislead Geelong residents and if the group agreed to honour its original plans for the 59-hectare site, building could start immediately.

The new plan lodged with the council two weeks ago includes Links' proposal to halve the size of the nine-hole golf course it has promised to build, from 22 hectares to 11.5.

The development includes 191 house blocks and 120 retirement units. To bolster its chances of council approval, Links said more than 100 people had already expressed interest in buying a slice of the estate. Links Group managing director Stephen Head said: ''If the plan is approved within the next couple of weeks, we see no reason why the project could not start before Christmas.''

The council is due to vote on the matter later this month.

Links has launched an advertising campaign in Geelong newspapers, saying there is a ''well orchestrated'' campaign to damage the company's reputation.

Source & More: www.smh.com.au

Read more articles in Golf, by Editor or from September 2010.