Course ‘hope’ in talks on site

Kim Waters
NEGOTIATIONS between developers and council have raised hopes for a full-size nine-hole course on a former Geelong Golf Club site, according to a councillor.
Cr Andrew Katos said the talks with site owner Links Living were “progressing well”.
Cr Katos said Links Living presented a new draft plan for the site to council officers this week.
Councillors were “very happy” with the draft and the progress of negotiations “so far”, he said.
Earlier this month Links Living submitted to council plans for a nine-hole par-three course and residential development as Woolworths sought inisterial approval for a hardware development on a separate parcel of the site.
Councillors expressed opposition to the par-three proposal, demanding Links Living deliver initial plans for a full-size nine-hole course.
Planning Minister Justin Madden later rejected the Woolworths proposal and council deferred a decision on the par-three plans, leading to the renewed negotiations.
Cr Andrew Katos hoped for a “resolution” with Links Living instead of the golf course plan going to the state planning tribunal.
“The nature of the discussions at the moment are still confidential,” he said.
“But the conversations and the proposals are moving forward and should be public in the coming weeks. It’s not something that’s going to take a long time.”
A council source, who wanted to remain anonymous, said Links wanted a solution “to get something happening”.
“They’re very keen for a resolution so they can get this development off their books.”
Links Living spokesperson Ron Smith said the company was “not in a position to discuss this matter”.
Links Living controversially closed the former course in 2004 after council rejected the company’s initial redevelopment plan. The company took over the land in 2003 after the golf club ran into financial problems and sold the course in 2002.