Golf club again considers housing, hotel

The Federal Golf Club in Canberra's south is again exploring whether its grounds can be used for residential development.

The club at Red Hill relies on membership fees and catering for revenue.

But the club says it needs to diversify its income to ensure its long-term survival.

Earlier this year the club received a $15,000 grant from the ACT Government for a feasibility study to explore commercial opportunities.

"This grant will enable us to use expertise that we don't have, to come up with ideas that perhaps we haven't thought of," said club president Ron Thompson.

He says that could include a new restaurant, convention facilities, a small hotel, or apartments.

"We are aiming for at least a report that gives us an opportunity to look at alternatives or the options for the longer term," he said.

"We don't expect to see anything come out of this in the very short-term, either in a response from the government or in the ability to proceed with a development proposal."

Mr Thompson says the club needs extra revenue to build more water storage to drought proof the golf course.

"To make us less reliant on the very costly utility charges that are occurring in this town," he said.

"The golf course is a high maintenance agricultural business and there's a lot of capital works that are required just to maintain its functionality."

The National Capital Authority recently scrapped plans for a new diplomatic estate to be built on land next to the club.

Source: ABC News, 28 November 2012