Federal Golf Club lease change to include retirement village approved

The Federal Golf Club in Red Hill has taken another step towards developing a retirement village on a section of the golf course with the conditional approval of a lease variation to add that specific use, and it appears an approvals process logjam may have been cleared.

Sydney company Mbark proposes to build 125 dwellings, including 77 single-storey houses and 48 apartments across six three-storey buildings, and a health and well-being centre for residents on 6 ha of the course.

The proposal is dependent on a redesign of the course, which cannot go ahead unless a development application for the village and a lease variation are also approved.

All up, MBark has submitted seven DAs and two amended applications. But in June, the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate, in effect, put the proposal on ice after the Conservator of Flora and Fauna opposed the removal of regulated trees and raised concerns about biodiversity issues.

EPSDD sought more detailed information from Mbark with four further information requests, indicating that design changes may be needed.

According to the village DA’s Tree Management Plan, a total of 388 trees will need to be removed for the project to proceed, and 313 of these are regulated.

EPSDD also sought more information on managing wildlife habitat and corridors, run-off, invasive species, light and noise pollution and bushfire risks.

MBark development manager David Consalvi said the lease variation was another step forward for the club’s development plans.

“Once effected, this approval will match the uses permitted in the club’s crown lease with those that already exist in the Territory Plan,” he said.

Mr Consalvi said approval of the other DAs was now needed for work to start.

“All requested information has been provided to the Planning Authority for these applications, which are currently under assessment,” he said.

The lease variation approval comes with conditions related to contamination risks and traffic issues.

Mbark must submit a more detailed site investigation of potential contamination risks to the Environment Protection Authority.

Transport Canberra and City Services Parking require the number of parking spaces for cars and bicycles to be updated to reflect the requirements of the new Territory Plan.

The Transport Safety Assessment report will also need to include details of safety improvement measures relating to the Kitchener Street access and a sight distance analysis.

The application for the lease variation attracted 394 representations.

Those in support believed this development proposal was an improvement on previous schemes, that housing for over 55s was needed, and a retirement village for the community was a good idea. They also argued that the golf course would be retained and that the proposed site allowed most hollow trees to be preserved.

Those opposed cited the scale and density of the proposal and environmental impacts, including the loss of green space and trees, bird and wildlife habitat and the introduction of vermin.

They were also concerned about the loss of community well-being and amenity, the effects of light, noise, increased traffic and pressure on infrastructure.

Some believed the concessional lease was being varied for private profit and that the change would impact the viability of the existing golf course.

Comment on a DA for the construction of a new public road, associated infrastructure, services, landscaping, signage and associated works closed on 14 October, attracting 129 representations.

Opposition group Friends of Federal Fairways said the approval was not unexpected given the Territory Plan Variation that was passed in June 2023.

It reiterated that the club was no closer to starting any development, highlighting the seriousness of EPSDD’s concerns.

FOFF maintains that the development is not needed to sustain the club’s future.

“Without improving its financial management, relying on the windfall gain from this development to get the club out of trouble is no guarantee it will become sustainable and makes it more likely the club will have to develop more of its land in the future,” it said.