Council’s ‘fore’ sight

By Lilly O’Gorman
CARDINIA Shire councillors voted unanimously to buy the Beaconhills Country Golf Club at a special council meeting on Monday night.
Despite some community opposition to the proposal, councillors agreed it was in the best interests of the club and the municipality to purchase the property at 85-87 Stoney Creek Road, Upper Beaconsfield.
The purchase price of $4,150,000 will pay off the struggling club’s debt, with the remainder to fund council-approved capital works.
The club was granted a 50-year lease at $1 per year and will have the option to buy back the property, as long as it remains a golf club.
Councillor Graeme Legge said the “sole, substantial” reason for the purchase was to ensure the golf club remained sustainable.
Councillor Stuart Halligan said the decision was a result of a thought-out process.
“I believe it’s a win-win for not only the people of the country golf club, but the people of the shire and people of Upper Beaconsfield,” Cr Halligan said.
In the report to council, Cardinia Shire council approached the club to purchase it in order to protect it from being rezoned as residential in the future.
Preserving the golf club would, according to the report, ensure there were recreation facilities to meet the needs of residents.
Some 23 submissions in response to the proposal to buy the club were heard at a special council meeting on 28 June.
While most were in support of the purchase, some said it was not the council’s responsibility to “bail out” the flailing golf club.