A change in the ownership of Gulf Harbour Country Club (GHCC) last week is causing concern among some members as well as Councillor Wayne Walker who has already kicked off a “save the golf club” campaign.
Although a source within the club confirmed a sale has taken place, the name of the new owner remains under wraps, for now.
Rumours are rife within the membership as they wait to be fully informed by management.
However, Cr Walker says he has heard enough to be afraid that the golf course, or parts of it, could be developed into residential housing.
Having such a significant green space is seen as a bonus for all residents of Gulf Harbour, not only golfers. With that in mind, an encumbrance put on the title in 2006 was designed to see the land remain as a golf course and country club.
However, Cr Walker points out that although this carries weight, it is not bulletproof because it is between the landowner and Auckland Council. He says there is the potential for the landowner to apply to Council to change the zoning to allow development. If that were granted, it could compromise the encumbrance as a safeguard.
A Land Information NZ spokesperson also confirms that Council has the power to discharge the encumbrance and free up the land for development and it’s also possible for the encumbrance to be challenged through the courts.
“The Unitary Plan removed the cap on the number of houses that can be built in Gulf Harbour, leaving the way open to further development,” Cr Walker says. “The cap was put in place because of infrastructure constraints, and those constraints still exist.”
The former owner of GHCC was Long River Investments Corporation – the company has owned the Country Club since 2013. Currently its sole director is Gregory Olliver – Hibiscus Matters understands that Olliver’s Phoenix Trust took a 100 percent shareholding in Long River last month.
As soon as details of the new owner emerge they will be made public in this paper.
