FAST FACTS AND Q & A

Why support the GemLife proposal?

GemLife’s commitment to this project will provide affordable housing for over 50’s and also improve the financial viability and future of the Cooroy Golf Club. The guaranteed membership boost, course improvements and ability to create a revenue stream from the new clubhouse is a unique opportunity. This development will deliver a raft of benefits to the Cooroy Golf Club, its members and the broader community as briefly outlined below. Further and more detailed information is available on request.

What is GemLife providing to the Cooroy Golf Club?

GemLife propose to deliver a range of tangible benefits to the Cooroy Golf Club to an approximate financial value of $12 million including:

• New Golf Course Clubhouse – Construction and fit-out of a new ‘turnkey’ operation ready clubhouse including dedicated pro shop, restaurant, café, function room, outdoor deck and terrace area (estimated value = $2,500,000).
• New Golf Course Carpark – adjacent to new clubhouse (estimated value = $300,000).
• New Golf Cart Storage Facilities – Construction of a 40-space golf cart storage shed (for club owned hire carts) complete with electric charging ports, washdown bay and members’ locker room and buggy storage area (estimated value = $200,000).
• Modifications and Improvements to the Golf Course – modification of the golf course layout and associated improvements (estimated value = $6,100,000). 
• New and Safer Access – Construction of a new shared entry road from Myall Street to serve the GemLife Resort and Cooroy Golf Club clubhouse. This will include an upgraded intersection with dedicated turning lanes creating safer and more logical access.
• Guaranteed membership boost – 214* annual golf memberships (1 per GemLife dwelling), guaranteed for 10 years (estimated value = $2,500,000) (* based on current layout yield). 
• 8th Hole Payment – a financial contribution of $320,000 which can be utilised by the Golf Club to convert the existing Par 3 4th hole (proposed 8th) into a Par 4 if desired.
• Contributions Payment – a financial contribution to compensate the Golf Club for accountable loss of revenue during the proposed construction works (estimated value = $320,000).
• Improved waterways and vegetation on the golf course.

What are the Ancillary Benefits?

• Potential to sell or re-purpose the existing clubhouse lot following construction of the new clubhouse. The estimated value of the existing clubhouse site is $750,000. 
• Potential for increased revenue from ‘halfway’ purchases with a new centrally located clubhouse and a more traditional ‘9 + 9’ playing arrangement. 
• Potential for increased membership / patronage due to substantial improvements to the golf course and associated facilities.
• Improved financial viability and long-term sustainability.

What are the broader community benefits?

• 214 new households that will support local business for day-to-day needs. 
• Delivery of much needed additional retirement living, including proposed ‘aging in place’ options. 
• Providing economic stimulus to Cooroy businesses during the construction phase. 
• Creating new employment opportunities in the ongoing operation of the retirement resort.
• Employment of new staff at the Golf Club as a result of the new clubhouse and improved course facilities. 
• A full-size commercial kitchen and dining / function area to hold functions such as weddings and birthday parties. This will provide an additional function option for members of the community and opportunities for local business operators including florists, decorators, hair & beauty etc. 
• The typical occupation rate for a GemLife Resort is 1.75 persons per dwelling, resulting in approximately 375 new residents to boost local business and attract potential new businesses to Cooroy. GemLife residents are typically under 75 years of age and many residents are likely to be active members of local community groups and sporting clubs.

How are the benefits secured for the Cooroy Golf Club?

• A Deed of Agreement between GemLife and the Cooroy Golf Club to document both parties’ respective rights and obligations. 
• The Deed is required to give certainty that if the appeal process is successful and a Development Approval is obtained and acted upon, GemLife are legally obligated to deliver the benefits that have been committed to the Cooroy Golf Club. 
• It is important to note that the Deed includes a bonding arrangement whereby prior to commencing construction of the GemLife Retirement Resort, a security amount is to be committed by way of bank guarantee in favour of the Golf Club, to secure the delivery of the developer’s obligations.

What is the Cooroy Golf Club contributing to facilitate the GemLife Resort?

• 1.764 ha of club land. 
• An easement for a shared entry road. 
• Stormwater easements over proposed bioretention devices to be constructed on club land to treat stormwater run-off from the development.

How has the Development Proposal changed as a result of the Appeal process?

The Appeal process and associated joint expert reports have resulted in several amendments to the development proposal. Changes of note are: 

• A reduction in the GemLife Retirement Resort dwelling yield from 246 to 214. 
• Revegetation of land along the waterway. 
• A proposal to relocate the shared entry road onto land currently occupied by the Par 3 15th hole. 
• A proposal to undertake almost $1 million of work to improve the intersection of Myall and Elm Streets.

Why has the access road been relocated onto Golf Course land?

The shared access road has been relocated as a result of the ongoing Appeal in the Planning and Environment Court. 

Ecological experts involved in the Appeal agreed that the relocation of the access road to the current location would resolve a number of ecological and waterway concerns. We again note that concerns with the proposed access location highlighted by the court experts relate to the access road that services the new GemLife Resort and the proposed Golf Club clubhouse (in the long identified and preferred central location).

What is the current proposal to replace the removed hole?

It is currently proposed to replace the removed hole by converting the existing Par 5 16th hole into two holes, being a Par 4 and a Par 3, generally as per the current Draft Master Plan and preliminary hole design sketches prepared by GNP Golf Design. 

Whilst this proposal does remove 1 stroke from the overall Course Par, it provides two new holes with variable characteristics and playing lengths in comparison to the balance of the course. It also provides opportunities to remediate existing problems with the 16th hole. We are confident the tangible benefits of this proposal to the Golf Course will outweigh the loss of this particular hole, which exhibits similar characteristics to the two existing Par 3 holes that adjoin.

How does the proposed course differ from the existing?

The reconfigured golf course and new centrally located clubhouse will provide a more traditional (and favorable) ‘back nine / front nine’ format, as opposed to the current ‘out and in’ layout. 

Under the current Draft Master Plan proposal, the reconfigured course will be reduced from a Par 70 to a Par 69. The overall length of the course will be reduced by 265m from the Men’s blue tees and 186m from the Ladies red tees. It should be noted that the Club previously supported and agreed to a Par 69 configuration with a minor reduction in course length, in line with what is currently proposed. 

Additionally, a proposed design has been prepared to convert the existing 4th hole from a Par 3 to a Par 4 which would return the course to a Par 70 and add approximately 90m to the overall course length. The Deed includes a payment to Cooroy Golf Club equal to the approximate cost of these works.

How long will the course be affected by the proposed works?

It is expected that the golf course modification works will take approximately 9 to 15 months to be fully completed. The unique nature of the course design however will enable 9 playable golf holes to remain open and playable at all times during the construction schedule. 

In addition to the above, there may be opportunities to bring the lesser affected holes into play earlier to provide varied course layouts and / or increase the course playing capacity.

What is the timing for commencement of the works, where approved?

GemLife has committed considerable resources to this project thus far. Once a development approval is granted, construction will commence as soon as practicable.

PLEASE CONTACT JAMES BROWNSWORTH,
INNOVATIVE PLANNING SOLUTIONS FOR MORE INFORMATION

  james@ipsptyltd.com.au
 www.innovativeplanningsolutions.com.au
  0421 498 517

Submissions must be lodged by Monday 1 June.