The Federal Golf Club on Red Hill is proceeding with a proposal to develop 125 residences on part of its land (a concessional lease that is currently zoned for parks and recreation).

A meeting of members on 20th June gave the Club board authority to go ahead with seeking the lease variations and zoning changes that will be required, and to conclude negotiations with the private developer.

Here is the Club Board’s leaflet promoting the development to its members, which describes the proposed arrangement.

The development involves a 99-year sublease to a private firm who will build, own and operate the residential development as an “0ver-55” residential community, surrounded by the golf fairways.

A number of community groups have already expressed concerns over the proposal, which is the latest in a long series of attempts by FGC to capitalise on the land it was granted on concessional terms for a recreational facility.

Strong opposition is being expressed by the Garran and Hughes Residents Action Group.

Ten community groups have signed a letter seeking a meeting with the Planning Minister, Mick Gentleman, to discuss their concerns.

This is the letter from the community groups.

Deakin residents may share concerns about

• direct effects on the environment of Red Hill,
• the continued privatisation of public recreational land, and
• the traffic impact on Deakin if Gowrie Drive (up Red Hill from Melbourne Avenue) becomes the sole access route for a community of about 250 new residents.
• If a second access road to the Golf Club is put through from Garran, this would create a rat-run across Red Hill between South Canberra and Woden Valley.

In considering the proposal, it is worth noting that the Federal Golf Club itself will receive very little cash. Instead, the developers propose to make a range of capital improvements to the irrigation and other infrastructure of the golf course, and to build a luxurious clubhouse that will also be an amenity for the residents of the premium private housing community (and so increasing the capital value of the housing).

In order to proceed, the proposal will need to pass several points that provide opportunities for community input: a lease variation, variation to the Territory Plan zoning, and a Development Application. DRA may make submissions at any of these points, so we would welcome residents’ views on how to respond.