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 WELCOME TO

LANE COVE GOLF CLUB

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TRADING HOURS
 
Wednesday:  3.00pm - 9.30pm
Thursday:  12.00pm - 9.30pm
Friday:  12.00pm - 9.30pm
Saturday:  10.00am - 9.30pm
Sunday:  10.00am - 9.30pm
 

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PROPOSED REDEVELOPMENT: UPDATE FROM CLUB PRESIDENT

Dear Members,

The DA for the Sports & Recreational Facility that Lane Cove Council have proposed to build on the site of our clubhouse is being assessed by the Sydney North Planning Panel. The Council were required to respond to the submissions that were made when the DA was aired in June through a formal Council Assessment Report, which has been prepared for them by Tim Shelley Planning. This report is available on the following website:


https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/planning-panel/sports-and-recreation-facility

There are two documents: a formal 31 page report and Attachment 2 – Submission Summary Table. Pages 8 – 10 of this attachment table are a detailed response to our submission.

The Planning Panel will convene on 7th December and anyone who wrote a submission back in June can register to address the panel. I have registered to do so on behalf of the Club. They have allocated me only 3 minutes to speak because I could not guarantee that there were no other club members who would register. If I could give them this assurance, they would allocate me ten minutes.

I would appreciate it if any member who has registered to speak at this forum would make contact with me please.

The panel instructions are very clear. Speakers should focus on how the assessment report has addressed their concerns, not just recontest the original issues.  Thus, I have only selected the issues where I feel the assessment report has provided a weak response.

Here are the main points I hope to cover (in three minutes!!!)


1. Recommendation for a staged consent

The assessment report agrees with the inadequacy of the research done for the DA to establish the degree of contamination of the land and recommends the solution be a two staged consent that will allow the demolition works to proceed before the final design is resolved and its associated costs will be known. This recommendation creates maximum risk for the golf club members as we will lose our current clubhouse with no surety of when it will be replaced. If the contamination issues are as serious as many believe, the project could be delayed for years and with nowhere to meet and no clear timetable, the club will likely fold. This would be a significant loss to the social fabric of Lane Cove. Further, since our post-lockdown re-opening, we have had many function bookings for wakes and family birthday parties with the common feedback that the ambience of the current clubhouse is perfect for these occasions. Demolishing the clubhouse earlier than necessary will remove this valued community resource.

We urge the planning panel to reject this recommendation in favour of requiring LCC to conduct the necessary studies on the soil contamination and thus the true costs and project timeframe before demolishing the existing building.


2. Pro Shop Location

The assessment acknowledges that LCC had provided inaccurate information to the Precinct Committee when it assured them the Pro Shop would be in the storage area overlooking the 1st tee, even though the design documents clearly indicate two shop fronts that look east across the 7th and 9th greens. It is inadequate to suggest that running CCTV cameras in a building 150 metres away is a substitute for people who can be right on the spot to supervise players hitting off on time and resolving any conflicts that arise.

The statement that “the Council does not foresee illegal play on the golf course as an issue” is in stark conflict to the many conversations we have had with LCC on this problem and the action they have recently taken to install a small portable pro shop on the 1st tee for the new operator.

A successful golf pro shop is always adjacent to the 1st Tee and the Council will need this to be a successful business to bring in the income to pay the loan for this development.  The building design should support this requirement as a priority.


3. Shortening of 1st Hole

The shortened hole was only discussed with the club in the context of the Master Plan that described a total redesign of the course to introduce a driving range and putt-putt facility, all of which we vigorously opposed. Golf NSW supported the design because they are happy to see the course become a training centre, but that design was never viable as a real golf course.  While we have reluctantly come to accept that we may lose some of the length of the 1st, the planning documents still do not clearly define where the building will end and we can only guess that the hole will be shortened by at least 50 metres by comparing the diagrams with known landmarks.  

At minimum, LCC should be required to articulate how much length will be lost from the signature hole of the Course. 


4. Loss of practice green, practice nets and teaching zone

The assessment indicates the practice green will be as shown in the Master Plan beside the new first tee and the practice nets between it and the 7th fairway. However, the Master Plan does not show these nets and there seems to be no room for them as the practice green will be adjacent to an avenue of mature trees. The assessment also claims that the teaching zone will be in this area which would make it dangerously within range of shots from both the 1st and 7th.

The Lane Cove Golf Course has a good reputation as a course on which to learn the game and Council is proud to support the training of junior golfers. This will be in jeopardy if there is nowhere suitable for lessons.


5. No space for housing of grounds maintenance equipment

The assessment report does not address the question that was raised. The existing garages for this equipment will be demolished and the course cannot be maintained without it. It is not acceptable to refer to “a future operation plan and detailed design” for large equipment items that need access pathways and lockable storage units.

By deferring consideration of this requirement, the Council may be incurring unnecessary complications in the future maintenance of the course.


In conclusion, there have been many community members – members and non-members – who have expressed their concern to the Club that this contentious DA is being rushed through just as the election is occurring that may change the cohort of councillors, who may then not support this project. We can only agree with these sentiments.

Cindy Brown
President
Lane Cove Golf Club

Lucinda.brown@bigpond.com 
0413885582
 
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WHAT'S ON @ THE CLUB


Friday, 3rd December 2021 - Friday Night Chicken Run

Looking for a fun way to start your weekend? Join us for the Friday Night Chicken Run!
 
*    Tee off any time after 4.30pm @ Lane Cove Golf Course - as a courtesy please book in with the Pro Shop on 
0433 519 974; 
*    9 holes of social golf. Members, non-members, beginners, pros, all welcome;
*    Runs over daylight savings months;
*    Presentation on clubhouse deck with winner receiving the much sought-after frozen chicken for best stableford score or a bottle of wine for the closest to the pin on the 9th green.


Afterwards please stay for a delicious meal at the club's new restaurant, Cinnamon Klub. A great way to launch the weekend!

Dinner bookings & menu here: www.cinnamonklub.com

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Friday, 10th December 2021 - Live Music

Fathers of Greenwich are playing at the Club on Friday, 10th December. Featuring the local talent of Brendan Morse, Jim Stewart, Tony Mills, Mark Merrick and Cam Smith it is sure to be fun filled night with lots of singing and dancing.

Food available
 from the club's restaurant Cinnamon Klub, please book your table and dinner reservation here: www.cinnamonklub.com
 

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Lane Cove Golf Club
180 River Road, Northwood NSW 2066             
PO Box 878, Lane Cove NSW 1595
Club Office (02) 9427 6631
Club Bar (02) 9418 6159
Email info@lanecovegolfclub.com.au
Website: www.lanecovegolfclub.com.au
Facebook: www.facebook.com/lanecovegolfclub







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Lane Cove Golf Club · 180 River Road, Northwood, NSW, 2066, Australia · Lane Cove, NSW 2066 · Australia

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