Ambitious plans are being developed to widen the scope of the Craigie Hill Golf Club site in Perth.
They include a community hub designed to encourage greater public use of the clubhouse, course and surrounding land.
Members have been brought up to speed on the progress being made on positive engagement with key organisations including Scottish Golf, The R&A and sportscotland for the far-reaching project.
The team behind the concept has been advised by Perth and Kinross Council’s Community Development Team and has been liaising with South Perth Community Greenspaces, Tayside Trail Association and others for input on how the new facilities can bring community benefit to all.
Craigie Hill transition committee spokesman Dave Mitchell explained: “The response from members to the project has been very encouraging. Now we are preparing a timetable for public consultation.
“While the key driver has been securing the future of a club which has been part of the city fabric since 1911 for existing golfers and generations to come, by embracing exciting plans for a high quality nine-hole golf course that would be enjoyable and attractive for all ages and abilities, we quickly recognised the opportunity to create a lasting legacy with our land which would benefit the wider community.”
The golf club has been liaising with adjacent landowners, including the local authority and Moncreiffe Estates, to secure access rights to create a remodelled environmentally-friendly community hub.
It would encourage outdoor activities such as orienteering, mountain biking, and woodland experiences, breathing new life into the nearby Buckie Braes and creating routes to St Magdalene’s Hill.
Proposals to embrace the demand for nine-hole golf courses first emerged five years ago, as Craigie Hill sought ways to address financial challenges and a reducing and ageing membership.
Earlier this year the Hill secured Community Amateur Sports Club status, establishing it as a not-for-profit business.
Scottish Golf and The R&A see the value in clubs changing direction to bring new opportunities for families and creating courses which embrace all members of the community.
Now, after engaging sports and leisure and consultants PMR Leisure to lead the public consultation process, the transition committee is confident they could be ready to break ground on the project in 2025.
Tayside civil engineering firm Kilmac has agreed an option to work in tandem with the golf club to progress the rapidly evolving development, with housing on part of the existing golf course forming a vital piece of the jigsaw.
Mr Mitchell stressed: “We have always recognised that listening to the local community and our stakeholders was paramount to this process as they help us shape our future provision.
“We want our whole community to be part of the future of what we do at Craigie Hill, providing facilities for all. Our clubhouse will be fully redeveloped for local community and sporting needs.
“We are engaging in the council’s new Physical Activity and Sports Strategy to ensure we are fit for purpose and are an integral part of the sporting network of South Perth.”
Karin Sharp, chief operating officer for Scottish Golf, confirmed they had been impressed with the Craigie Hill brief.
“At Scottish Golf our vision is to make golf Scotland’s game for everyone and the ambitions shown by Craigie Hill, with its proposed redevelopment to a nine-hole facility which will offer wider community options beyond that of golf align to our strategic goals,” she said.
“There is huge potential in the proposals to create a much-needed community hub and far-reaching leisure opportunities which will benefit residents and visitors to Perth long into the future,” said Alison Fisher, vice-chair of the South Perth Green Spaces Group
“We are committed to enhancing the greenspace network and community woodland offering in and around the Fair City. We look forward to working with the Craigie Hill team on this exciting project.”
