Media release – Tasmanian Conservation Trust, 30 June 2023

TCT commences court proceedings regarding the proposed Arm End Reserve golf course

On 23 June 2023 the Tasmanian Conservation Trust commenced proceedings in the Supreme Court of Tasmania regarding the long-delayed golf course proposed for the Arm End Reserve at Opossum Bay near Hobart. Today, 30 June 2023, the TCT served proceedings on the proponent Mary Ann’s Island Pty Ltd.

“In its application to the Court, the TCT asserts that the proponent has failed to substantially commence the golf course development by the purported statutory deadline of 1 October 2022 and as a result the planning permit issued by Clarence City Council has lapsed,” said TCT CEO Peter McGlone.

“It is now more than seven years since the proponent was granted its planning permit and it is our view that the golf course has not been substantially commenced and the permit has lapsed.”

“The planning permit allowed the proponent to build an eighteen-hole golf course but not even a single hole has been built. Other parts of the development have not been built either, including: clubhouse, massive facilities centre and water tanks, sixty-space car park, practice fairways and greens, irrigation system and other infrastructure.”

“The TCT’s goal in taking the court case is to seek a declaration from the court that the planning permit for the golf course has lapsed and no further works can be undertaken in relation to the proposed development.”

“It is time for the long-delayed Arm End golf course to be finally and permanently stopped and the reserve reclaimed by the Tasmanian people.”

Background

  • In response to correspondence from the TCT the Clarence City Council has stated that a large amount of weed control including boxthorn was undertaken and that in their opinion that constitutes substantial commencement. The TCT will be challenging this assertion.
  • The Clarence City Council issued the current planning permit on 1 April 2016 following completion of a planning appeal. Under the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act, a permit has a maximum life span of six years. Some developments received a special COVID-19 extension of six months.
  • Arm End is a 148 hectare area of Crown land and was formally reserved under the Nature Conservation Act in 2011. Its formal name is the Gellibrand Point Nature Recreation Area. It is colloquially known as Arm End or Arm End Reserve. Arm End forms the northern-most part of the South Arm Peninsula. Arm End was purchased by the Crown from a local farmer in 1995. https://parks.tas.gov.au/Documents/Reserve%20Listing.pdf.
  • The proposal for a water pipeline taking treated effluent from Blackmans Bay to South Arm is an entirely different development with a different permit to the golf course and is presumably still valid.

Impacts of the proposed golf course

The current planning permit potentially allows the proponent to build a private eighteen-hole golf course, practice fairways and greens, clubhouse, massive facilities centre and water tanks, a 60-space car park, irrigation system and other infrastructure.

The impact of the proposed golf course and associated facilities on Arm End Reserve would be devastating and would include:

  • degrade the recreational enjoyment of the reserve for locals and visitors;
  • spoil the visual qualities of the reserve;
  • destroy Aboriginal heritage that is documented across the reserve;
  • damage remnant native vegetation and prevent the reserve being rehabilitated to a more natural state;
  • there are also marine values, in particular the spotted handfish, in an adjacent marine reserve that could be severely impacted by run-off from the golf course.

Featured image above: Looking south over the ‘golf course’. The houses at the left of the picture are just outside the reserve.