Golf club revisits plan

Cambridge Golf Club is rethinking a plan for a $4.4 million redevelopment of course land that would free up 8.8 hectares for property development.

President Kevin Vagg has told members there is an emerging trend worldwide to sell off parts of golf courses for cash with the idea that clubs can improve their facilities.

The club's board has undergone an overhaul since a meeting in November last year was labelled a debacle by developer Mike Smith, who put the development proposal forward.

At the time, then club president Jeanette Boswell said there had been a majority vote against the proposal and that was the end of the matter.

New president Mr Vagg said the club would look at Mr Smith's proposal again.

Mr Smith, who is behind Cambridge's St Kilda Waterways development, wants to redevelop the privately owned course using one of Australia's most respected golfers Bob Shearer and his partner Ben Davey.

The redevelopment would have left 8.8 hectares of land undeveloped, which Mr Smith then wanted to purchase from the club to build a retirement village with hospital and golfing villas.

In a recent club newsletter, Mr Vagg said like all golf clubs in New Zealand, Cambridge faced financial challenges, and since the November AGM there had been an informal meeting to discuss the proposal.

He said the club would be foolish not to reassess its position and look at what the proposal could achieve for it.

He said throughout the world, especially the United States, there was a trend to build houses and apartments on the perimeter of golf courses offering owners great facilities and lifestyle.

"This phenomenon of selling part of golf clubs' grounds for cash is starting to take hold here in New Zealand and we can cash in on the idea to improve our golf club buildings, rounds, water reticulation and plant."

The club called a special meeting on November 18, at which the proposal was turned down, 103 members voting against the plan, 93 supported it.

Mr Smith said at the time club members were not fully informed before they voted, because the meeting was called on the basis that it was a vote on whether to sell golf club land.

Mr Smith said the redevelopment would see Cambridge gain one of the region's best golf courses, an irrigation system that he had been discussing with the Waipa District Council, golfing villas and a discretionary fund of about $500,000.

He said the golf course was extremely hard during the summer months and he was discussing with the council about using treated effluent to irrigate the course, which created a win-win situation for effluent treatment in the area and the state of the golf course.

He said he had budgeted $2.1m for the course redevelopment, $1m for irrigation, $300,000 for a new driving range, $300,000 for new machinery, $100,000 to upgrade the carpark, $100,000 for a new maintenance shed and $500,000 for a discretionary fund.

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