Property developers say they will go ahead with a $160 million subdivision near the seaside town of Spencerville, 14km north of Christchurch, which pivots around a proposed 18-hole golf course and golf academy.
Property developers say they will go ahead with a $160 million subdivision near the seaside town of Spencerville, 14km north of Christchurch, which pivots around a proposed 18-hole golf course and golf academy.
"Starting an undertaking of this magnitude is an important message to the world that Christchurch is back on its feet and not only starting the rebuilding process, but also embarking on exciting new developments," said a spokesman for the developers, Thomas Na.
Earthworks could start in the next few months.
When it was originally proposed in 2004, the South Korean backers for the subdivision said it was estimated to cost between $80m and $90m and could become the best facility for young golfers in the Southern Hemisphere.
That cost included an 18-hole course and a nine-hole training course designed by top New Zealand professional Greg Turner, who said at the time that New Zealand had many magnificent golf courses but was devoid of good training facilities.
"Practice and training areas have not been viewed as essential in recent high-quality golf course developments," he said.
Today the developers said there were still resource consents to be gained, but the Canterbury regional council had withdrawn its appeal against the Christchurch City Council’s acceptance of a private plan change for the 160-hectare site.
They said there would be an 18 hole championship golf course, a professional golf training academy for up to 160 students, with accommodation, and lecture theatres.
A sports complex would include a gym, 25m indoor swimming pool, spa and sauna, 86 apartments, and 141 residential sections.
The academy and residential golf resort would be marketed in Australia, North America, Scandinavia, Korea, Japan and China to train students for careers in golf and golf administration and Mr Na predicted it would create up to 120 jobs.
Over 40 hectares of land beside the Styx River would not be built on and would be gifted to the city council as a wetland.
"We will provide a restored and enhanced ecological corridor between the golf course and the Styx River which will include over $2 million of indigenous planting, a public walkway along the river, and a bridleway from the Styx River to Spencerville Road," he said.
Canterbury already has three high-quality golf courses at Terrace Downs, Clearwater and Pegasus.
