Mayor Goff has expressed an interest in opening up the 60 hectares of prime public land, with a market value of $734 million, currently leased by Remuera Golf Course, for wider public useRemuera Golf Club was originally two courses, reduced down to one in the late 60’s to allow for the development of the suburb of St Johns. The proviso for this residential development was that the golf club stay as a recreational space to balance the new intensification. Today, as Remuera and its surrounding suburbs are becoming increasingly intensified, as a result of the Unitary Plan, the mandate for the retention of open spaces for sport and recreation becomes even more paramount.
Councillor Desley Simpson recently invited the Mayor to meet with the Golf Club so he could fully understand their long held objective to increase public use. The Mayor expressed openness to all options including lease extensions, purchase of the land by the Club, and their plans for the development of facilities for community use. Remuera Golf Club is tasked with developing some specific options, with Council officials, to be presented in 2019.
Remuera Golf Club’s intention is for the site to have greater community and public utilisation for sport and recreation, with golf at the core. They envisage that their plans to enhance community multipurpose facilities would be a win-win for the Council and the community, and be at no cost to the Council. However, for enhancements to happen the Club needs security of tenure.