Golf course development masterplan released as VRG gets ready to meet with council
The company behind the proposed redevelopment of a southeast Queensland golf course is preparing to meet with the local council to discuss the controversial plans. SEE THE CONCEPT
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A DRAFT masterplan for development on North Lakes golf course will be presented to Moreton Bay Regional Council next month.
The golf course is due to close at the end of the year and the current owners have entered into an arrangement to sell the entire site to The Village Retirement Group (VRG).
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While any actual development application (DA) for the land is still some way off (VRG) has created a concept design for the 56ha North Lakes Common based on feedback received through community consultation.
Detailed plans for the actual retirement village and aged care facility, which are central to the whole development proposal, have been be completed separately and were not included in the masterplan.
There are still significant hurdles to overcome for the developer, not least the fact the area is listed as recreational open space under the Mango Hill Infrastructure Development Control Plan and a retirement village is considered a prohibited development on such land.
RELATED COVERAGE:
● North Lakes Golf Club to be sold, developed
● About 200 people protest the sale of North Lakes Resort Golf Club
● Planning minister visits to hear community concern over proposal
● Club owner says closure down to a lack of golfers
● Council won’t refuse application for development
● Developer wants more input from community
A newsletter outlining the plans was sent to North Lakes residents, asking for people who supported the proposal to provide the company with further feedback.
“The next step is to go to the council and present this information in order to get some direction on where to go from here,” a TVRG spokesman said.
“There is no intention to lodge a DA until this process has run its course.”
The North Lakes Common is the excess land, totalling 56ha, that would remain on the site should the company be successful in establishing the retirement village and aged care facility.
The masterplan divides the site into 5 areas.
The northern section, or Area 1 is prone to flooding and would be retained for drainage purposes.
South of that is are area for “habitat and passive recreation” which is situated alongside the proposed retirement village.
Below that is a “recreation, small events and nature play” area that includes picnic areas, a nature playground, dog park and even a wedding chapel.
Next is Area 4 with a community garden, outdoor classroom, bmx park and playgrounds and also includes the multistorey aged care facility component of the development, situated adjacent to Diamond Jubilee Way.
The most southern section of the golf course, Area 5, would be for “active recreation, swimming, fitness and sport.”
The proposal includes soccer fields and clubhouse, an indoor sport and fitness centre, a swim centre with waterplay area, netball courts, and adventure playground and an events lawn with a performance stage.
Each proposed element would ultimately have to undergo an approval process and that could be problematic for ideas such as having an outdoor performance stage in the middle of a residential area and adjacent to an existing retirement village.
President of Save North Lakes Golf Course Andrew Cathcart, the community group fighting against development of the site, said the proposal raised more questions than it answered.
“We have lots of concerns about the size, scale and contents of the development, but we will be using the objection process once a DA is lodged to provide and outline all of our objections for each part of the proposal,” Mr Cathcart said.
Some residents commenting on Facebook raised potential issues such as who would pay for the development in the common, and who will pay for its ongoing maintenance?
TVRG has said in the past that it would be happy to give the land known as North Lakes Common to Moreton Bay Council or the State Government to own and operate.
More than 280 residents attended a community information sessions about the proposal last July.
The majority were opposed to any development on the course with concerns ranging from a reduction in property values, increased traffic, the scale of the proposed development and wildlife.
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