Mollymook Golf Course fence: residents concerned about view impacts
A Mollymook golf course has raised the ire of residents who are concerned plans to make the fairway safer will hurt their million dollar ocean views.
The South Coast News
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Plans to erect a large black fence between a coastal golf course and residential properties has raised concern among residents, who don’t want their ocean views obstructed.
Some are also wary the club has another agenda, and will make way for development on the site.
However, Mollymook Golf Club general manager John Holt assured The South Coast News that was not the case, and more than a million dollars was being invested in the golf course this year.
“We have spent years planning this work and it is a significant investment in the future of golf,” he said.
“There has been some people questioning our motivation and talk about us setting it up for development but that is completely incorrect. It is purely about improving the safety of our course.”
The club has applied to Shoalhaven City Council to install a new fence around the nine-hole golf course in an effort to catch stray golf balls and “protect” the green.
It comes as the golf course undergoes a $1.1 million transformation, with work underway to upgrade the course. Although shorter, the new course will be more challenging and is complete with a new irrigation system.
But, the club also wants to install a 2.1 metre fence to secure wayward golf balls and “address safety concerns” for the public walking through the course to get to the beach.
“In recent years, the problem is further exacerbated by a steady increase in the number of golfers utilising the beachside course,” a report to the council says.
“Proportionately, the number of errant golf balls entering neighbouring properties and public thoroughfares increases. The safety concern has been an ongoing issue for many years.”
The development application has attracted 12 submissions from nearby residents, 11 of them objecting to the proposal and one outlining concerns about any removal of trees.
Doug Evans, from Mollymook, was concerned debris caught in the fence mesh could exacerbate the “flooding problem” on Golf Avenue.
“Adding a 2.1 metre fence could have a devastating effect with floodwaters entering and damaging my property,” he said.
The majority of opposing submissions listed concerns about the fence impacting their views of the ocean and golf course.
Kevin Fitzpatrick who lives opposite the golf course said the proposed fence would “negatively impact the character and streetscape”.
Rod Swindle said a one metre white picket fence “would retain the natural beauty of the place and still do the job of restraining unauthorised visitors”.
Mr Holt said the club would revise the height of the fence to alleviate concerns raised at a meeting with residents last week.
“We will need to come to some sort of agreement about the height of the fence to pacify people, and ensure them it’s not going to devalue their properties,” he said.
“It won’t be intrusive on their views.”
The black chain wire mesh fence surrounding the course is estimated to cost the club $118,000.
“While the fence will already be visually recessive due to its black colour, the screening by the existing trees will further reduce its visual impact,” a report to the council states.
Mr Holt said the upgraded course would open to golfers this summer.
Shoalhaven council is yet to determine the development application.
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