City in win on course

Kim Waters
CITY Hall has won its push for a full-size, nine-hole course on former golf club land in North Geelong, according to a council source.
The source, who did not want to be identified, said City officers and land owner Links Living reached an agreement this week for a new draft plan with a full-size course on the former Geelong Golf Club.
The new plan will be the fifth for the site since Links Living took over the club and locked out members in 2003.
The council source said the new plans replaced a proposed retirement village with more housing allotments to help cover the cost of maintaining a full-size, nine-hole course.
The previous plan proposed a par-three, nine-hole course, which drew opposition from residents and councillors.
“The most recent plans submitted by the applicant are a lot closer to what should be going there,” the council source said.
“Local residents should be very happy with the result.
“All that really needs to be done is for the plan to be formally ticked off. The retirement village is not there any more but has been replaced by the same size density housing.”
The source said City officers were unsure when the new plan would go on public display.
“It hasn’t been confirmed yet but one suggestion in regard to public consultation is displaying the plan for a period of time at Geelong West Library but we aren’t sure that’s going to happen.
“It’s believed council is still considering the option.”
Links Living withdrew its par-three plan after Planning Minister Justin Madden rejected a Woolworths application for a hardware development on a separate parcel of the site.
Links Living spokesperson Ron Smith said the company had no comment.
The company took over the land after the golf club ran into financial problems and sold out in 2002.
Council rejected Links’ initial plan for development, leading to a series of revisions including a tennis centre before the par-three proposal.