We strive to provide a balanced education and develop young people of good character, who are leaders and active participants in their communities. A key component of developing good character and leadership takes place outside of the classroom, and on the sporting fields.
We are pleased to announce that we have been presented with an exciting opportunity to create significant new sporting facilities to help us develop more of those well-rounded future leaders our community needs. The College has been offered a gift of approximately 10 hectares of land at the northern end of the former Arundel Links golf course, which is around 200 metres down Arundel Road from the College’s existing campus.
The College currently buses students to other facilities across the Gold Coast, which often limits the number of teams able to participate in particular sports due to limitations of quality facilities.
To ensure every member of the College community has their voice heard in this process, A.B. Paterson College has agreed to host community consultation sessions on campus. The College encourages Council to allow this development to proceed to the next stage so the entire College community can have their say regarding this valuable opportunity.
What is the proposal?
The College has been offered a gift of 10 hectares of land at the northern end of the former Arundel Links golf course, around 200 metres down Arundel Road from our existing campus. It consists of two parcels of land – one on either side of the road. The land has a commercial value in the millions, although it has been offered to the College as a gift by the developers who have purchased the defunct golf course. They intend to create additional housing on the remainder of the site.
Why are we doing this?
As you know, our College Mission is to develop young women and men of character – future leaders and active participants in their communities. A key part of developing that character and leadership takes place outside the classroom, and on the sporting field. This represents an extraordinary opportunity for us to develop world-class new sporting facilities at a significantly reduced cost because the land is being gifted to us.
Why can’t we continue to do what we do now?
Currently, we need to bus our students to other facilities across the Gold Coast, often limiting the number of teams in particular sports due to the inability of accessing quality facilities. However, this opportunity will allow us to develop our own purpose-built facilities which will help us develop the well-rounded future leaders our community needs.
What will we do with the land?
The College will have freehold title over the lots and be responsible for funding our new facilities on the site, and we have the capacity fund this as part of our existing capital budget over the coming years. We anticipate that this will take the form of playing fields and perhaps a gym and indoor sporting facilities. However, this will ultimately be a decision for the entire College Community and we will seek your input in coming months.
Why is the college getting tied up with a property developer?
The College is not part of the development consortium proposing to build on the old golf course. We have the right to make our own decisions about what is in our best interest. However, we are supportive of the proposal because of the generous gift we have been offered should it be approved.
Won’t this development just increase traffic past the College?
Traffic management will be one of the factors considered by the Council in assessing the development application. However, we see long-term value for the College in more young families moving into our local area.
Isn’t there enough development going on already? Why are we encouraging more?
We know Queensland is experiencing a housing and accommodation crisis, so it’s clear that there is a need for additional housing stock, including in our area.
These are issues that the Council will need to consider in assessing the application. However, given that the land is likely to be targeted for housing anyway, we think this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to secure a highly valuable asset for our College.
What about families who live on the existing golf course?
We understand some College community members will have strong views for or against the proposal. Everyone will have the right to have a say. Ultimately, it will be a matter for the Council to decide whether to approve the application.
Will school fees go up to pay for the new facilities?
As part of our normal financial planning, the College has a forward capital works budget. We are confident the new facilities can be incorporated into that budget without a major impact on school fees. Fees adjustments in the future can be expected to be in line with usual annual increases.
What about the trees and Koalas that inhabit the current Golf Course.
On the parcel of land gifted to the College, it is our intent to ensure we minimise any degradation to existing trees in building our sporting facilities. However, should any trees be removed, the College is committed to replacing with appropriate native species as part of the landscaping around the facilities. There are parts of the 67 ha site where Koala Habitat has been identified - and we have been assured that across the site, those areas are being kept in this same condition by the developers where possible.
When can we have our say on the development?
To ensure every member of the College community has their voice heard in this process, we have agreed to host community consultation sessions on our campus as part of the development application process to Council. These sessions will be widely advertised through the normal College communications channels, as well as in the general community.
When can we have our say on the new facilities?
The College has commissioned some preliminary work to determine what might be feasible and economically viable. We will share those ideas as soon as we are able to, and have a discussion about what the College community thinks is best for our future.
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