Fight to halt golf course not over
OPPONENTS of the proposed Arm End golf course say they will continue to fight against the development.
The 18-hole golf course, slated for a 166ha parcel of Crown land, was approved by the Clarence Council in 2013 and the developer needed to substantially commence the project by October 1 this year.
The council received legal advice on Monday, advising substantial development had started, because the developer had undertaken significant weed control work on the site.
Tasmanian Conservation Trust CEO Peter McGlone does not believe the work undertaken is enough to count as substantial commencement.
“The council has based its decision on ‘the significant weed control work undertaken on the site’, but weed control does not constitute part of the proposed golf course,” Mr McGlone said.
“There has been no start made on the golf course at Arm End despite the current permits being in place since April 2016.
“The Tasmanian Conservation Trust does not agree with the Clarence City Council’s opinion that the Arm End golf course has substantially commenced and we have already engaged lawyers to provide us with advice on how we may challenge that decision.”
Mr McGlone said the reserve was valued by the community.
“I’m a very regular visitor, I’ve been going there for 25 years,” he said.
“If you go on a Saturday or Sunday morning, there’s a large amount of people there … it’s growing in popularity, it’s people fishing, picnicking, walking their dog.
“A golf course basically conflicts with all of that.”
Developers Mary Ann’s Island has previously said its work so far included a near $600,000 investment to remove a weed infestation of African boxthorns along with a $100,000 investment in the revegetation of local plant species.