Golf club slammed after offering $30m ‘sweetener’ on green wedge

A bid to rezone a golf course in Melbourne’s south-east green wedge is facing stiff opposition, despite the club’s offer to hand over a $30 million parcel of land to the council so it can build an expansive sporting facility.

The Keysborough Golf Club has been planning to sell its “tired” 76-hectare, 18-hole golf course to developer group Intrapac since 2015, after membership began to decline.

Keysborough Golf Club general manager Darren Eckhardt says the club wants to sell for financial viability.Credit: Joe Armao

Under the plans, the 124-year-old club would relocate from its Hutton Road site in Keysborough to a new course on Pillars Road, Bangholme. However, that’s conditional on Planning Minister Sonny Kilkenny’s approval for the rezoning of the existing course to allow housing.

The new golf course will provide modern golfing facilities and financial viability – key reasons the club wants to sell up and relocate.

“We don’t have money to modernise facilities and keep up with modern times,” said club general manager Darren Eckhardt.

“The club doesn’t have a full-facility driving range, no cover for inclement weather, or technology showing how far the ball goes or swing analysis.”

Development plans for the proposed 70-hectare South East Sporting Hub on Pillars Road, Bangholme.Credit: Greater Dandenong Council Masterplan

But local councillor Rhonda Garad is opposed to housing on the Keysborough green wedge site.

“The green wedge is critical for important ecological and environmental purposes, it was always meant to be the lungs of the city and give the city breathable space from development,” Garad said.

“If the planning minister approves this, it would open the floodgates for further development in the green wedge.”

Garad has also raised concerns about the golf club’s offer of the land at Bangholme for the new sports facility.

Keysborough Golf Club is selling its golf course to Intrapac.Credit: Joe Armao

“It feels like a quid pro quo,” Garad said. “Without any consultation about whether this sporting facility is needed or whether it’s the right position, it also concerns me the way business is being done.”

But Eckhardt dismissed suggestions the donation was a “sweetener” for the council and said it was always a part of the plan.

“Large rezoning projects are often expected to deliver tangible community benefit around the rezoned land. Keysborough golf club endorses this view and explored the opportunities as part of our project planning,” Eckhardt said.

The Greater Dandenong Council has accepted the club’s offer of land at Bangholme, paving the way for its South East Sports Hub (SESH) – expected to be as large as premier sports and recreation precinct, Casey Fields – with “high-quality open space” and multiple sporting grounds for Australian rules football, soccer and basketball.

It said the donation of land would not influence any decision to back the golf club’s “aspirational” plans.

“The Keysborough Golf Club’s proposal, if realised, benefits both Greater Dandenong and surrounding communities by way of investment in future sporting infrastructure,” said director of city planning, design and amenity, Jody Bosman.

“Any decision which council might make on any rezoning application that might be lodged in the future is completely independent of such a proposal.

“It would play no role at all in assessing the planning merits of any proposed rezoning.”

Intrapac also snapped up the Rossdale Golf Club in nearby Aspendale.Credit: Paul Jeffers

The golf club is yet to approach Kilkenny for the rezoning of the Keysborough site, despite having a 10-year option agreement with Intrapac, which also snapped up the Rossdale Golf Club in nearby Aspendale.

“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,” Eckhardt said.

Bosman said the council had no position yet on whether it would support the club’s rezoning application.

“To date, no application for a rezoning has been lodged with council, so council is unable to express a view on whether or not a rezoning is supported,” Bosman said.

“Such determinations will be made if a rezoning application is lodged at a future date, and will be dependent on the details submitted.”

A government spokesperson said it “had no plans” to review the urban growth boundary.

“Keysborough Golf Club is within the green wedge zone. Greater Dandenong City Council is the relevant authority for the future use and development proposal for the site within the green wedge,” the spokesperson said.

The previous Victorian planning minister, Richard Wynne, was against rezoning the green wedge.

Intrapac has been contacted for comment.

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