Magazine - Plans for Redevelopment of Geelong G.C

By Editor in Golf on 4th Jul 2010 12:20

Councillors have called a public meeting to fight plans for redevelopment of Geelong Golf Club.

Eddy Kontelj, Stretch Kontelj and Barbara Abley, whose wards border the former club course, called the meeting following an advisory committee hearing on the land yesterday. He said the agreement stipulated that Links must return either the land or its proposed nine-hole golf course to council if the redevelopment was unviable.

But Links’s submission to the advisory hearing said the “commercially unviable” nine-hole course would lose $245,000. Cr Kontelj said the viability of the course was not Links’ concern.

“Council has underwritten the nine-hole course,” he said. “Council runs many facilities not commercially viable but does so for the social aspect. “Here we have fantastic open space that we’d like to retain into perpetuity and we’d seriously look at taking it on despite its non-viability.”

Cr Kontelj said Links should either hand council the undeveloped land or the course after it was developed under the agreement. Planning Minister Justin Madden has called in a Woolworths application to build a retail development on part of the golf course site.

“Since 2006 there has been a lot of speculation, rumour and innuendo as to what will happen on this site,” he said. “There have been lots of project proposals and residents are confused as a result. They should know what and when something will happen.

The public meeting will start 6pm July 12 at Geelong West Town Hall.

Source & More: www.senews.com.au

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