Residents ‘not eating’ over North Lakes golf course plan

“PEOPLE are not sleeping, not eating, wanting to do all sorts of terrible things” as a proposal to develop a golf course into a retirement village north of Brisbane hits home.

Guests at the Save North Lakes Golf Course public meeting on Sunday, August 5. Picture: Matt Williamson

NORTH LAKES has woken to a nightmare as news of the proposed destruction of its “heart” spreads throughout the community.

More and more people are learning about the proposal to sell North Lakes Golf Course to Village Retirement Group (VRG), to be developed into a retirement village.

And the gravity of what the sale may mean is starting to set in for some residents.

“People, mums and dads — the underdogs — are getting affected,” Save North Lakes Golf Club spokesman Andrew Cathcart said.

“And this is only 10 days in, the development application hasn’t even been lodged yet. There are people not sleeping, not eating.

“People are upset. People are wanting to do all sorts of terrible things. This is the reality of what this has proposal has done.”

Mr Cathcart said the proposal has put a dark cloud over people’s future.

“People are ringing doctors and Lifeline because of the effect this is having.

“VRG is trying to rip a community apart and they say they are all about building communities.”

The golf club announced on July 25 that it could be sold due to continued financial losses. Owner Adam Simpson said it would close late 2019.

He said they tried turning it around but a decline in non-member and corporate players hit the bottom line, and no other golf course operator wanted to buy it.

“It comes down to a simple fact. Golf courses need golfers and we don’t have enough golfers,” he said.

The main issues residents are concerned about are the negative impact on lifestyle and property values.

LJ Hooker North Lakes sales manager Martin Ball said it was hard to put a finger on any property price drop at this time.

“It’s going to have an impact but if anyone’s going to put a number on it, it will be purely speculative,” he said. “But if there are people who want to sell down the track, hoping to make some money, I think they’ll struggle.”

Member for Petrie Luke Howarth told North Lakes Times the sale could have a massive impact on families in the area.

“The 300 or so houses on the golf course and in the remaining streets around it have bought on the fact it is an international standard golf course,” he said.

“The fact is anything less will affect the property value of their homes, according to some agents.’’