Keysborough Golf Club wants to turn its course into housing development with a move to a new home on the cards

A golf club in Melbourne’s southeast wants to gift its course to the council to turn it into a $30m sporting hub and housing development. See the plans.

A golf club in Melbourne’s southeast wants to donate its course for more housing and to help fund a new $30m sporting hub.

Keysborough Golf Club has proposed to move from Hutton Rd to land at Pillars Rd, Bangholme to help Greater Dandenong Council set up the South East Sports Hub.

The council voted 6-4 in favour of beginning community consultation at its June meeting on Monday, despite protests from some councillors that it was “premature” to start community consultation without any official plans lodged.

Cr Sean O’Reilly said the council needed to wait before “spending thousands” at this stage.

“This has not been proposed yet,” he said.

“Nothing has been put in front of the Minister. This is only an aspiration of the golf club and there is nothing to indicate this will be entertained at all”.

But Cr Rhonda Garad said residents “had a right to know” about the proposal which may impact them.

The proposal for hub, which would be owned and managed by council, comes as the municipality’s population is expected to increase by 28,000 people in the next decade — taking it to more than 208,000.

The golf club plans to fund the new hub through its relocation to Pillars Rd — ensuring no public funds are required.

Keysborough Golf Club GM Darren Eckhardt said it “makes sense” to deliver more housing in the area, while a move would also provide golfers with upgraded facilities.

“The (current) site is inadequate for the long term as our facilities are tired and cannot cater for a growing number of female and young players,” he said.

“The club does not have the capital to undertake the necessary upgrades in its current location.

“It just makes sense to deliver more housing in areas like Keysborough given how well it is serviced by existing transport, schools, shopping and all the existing community infrastructure”.

Residential development of the golf course would require it to be rezoned given it sits outside of the Urban Growth Boundary, which requires Ministerial approval and a parliamentary amendment.

The site is zoned as Green Wedge A - which indicates the area contains a mix of agriculture and low-density activities.

No formal rezoning application has been submitted as yet by the club.

Mr Eckhardt said the club was in discussions with the council and the community about the project.

“This proposal should make enormous sense given the overwhelming benefits for the community and our club, with zero cost to government,” he said

“With the state government talking about building homes where infrastructure already exists, we would hope the Planning Minister would seize the opportunity to facilitate the project.

“It’s well understood that our current site being outside the Urban Growth Boundary is a historical anomaly, and its nothing like what most people imagine as Green Wedge.

“We are currently updating the council on the potential project and opening up the discussion for community comment. We have already formal letters of support from several major sporting bodies and a growing number of local clubs which will directly benefit from the new facility”.