Keppel Club, Marina Bay Golf Course failed to score lease renewal

Housing redevelopment projects underway.

According to a release, in January 2013, the Ministry of National Development said that the Government will free up land with low intensity uses such as golf courses for redevelopment to meet more essential needs such as housing and public infrastructure. The Ministry of Law began engaging golf clubs regarding their leases soon after.

The leases of seven golf clubs will expire in the next 10 years. They will be offered new leases for some of their courses. The leases will be for differing periods which will end between 31 December 2030 and 31 December 2040. They are Changi Golf Club, National Service Resort and Country Club (Changi), Orchid Country Club, Seletar Country Club, Sentosa Golf Club, Singapore Island Country Club (SICC) and Tanah Merah Country Club.

Keppel Club’s lease will expire on 31 Dec 2021. The land is needed to redevelop the site for housing. This plan was announced in 2001 in URA’s Concept Plan.

To support the club’s continuity, if the club is keen, it will be offered an alternative site to operate as a social club. Discussions are on-going as to the possible location. The operator of the new public course (see paragraph below) will be encouraged to discuss the possibility of offering some arrangement to Keppel Club members. This depends, of course, on all the parties being able to agree on terms.

SICC will be offered a new lease at the Island location until 2040. SICC will also be offered a new lease for one of the two 18-hole courses at the Bukit location, until 2030.

The other 18-hole course at Bukit will be run as a public course upon lease expiry on 31 December 2021, to be operated by the labour movement for the benefit of the general public and the labour movement. This will ensure continued public access to golfing facilities when the Marina Bay Golf Course is phased out for redevelopment.

However, in order to secure the extension for the 18-hole course at Bukit, SICC will have to work with the labour movement and conclude an agreement by the end of February 2015 on how the courses can be reconfigured, and the necessary arrangements for the sharing of facilities.