The final putts have been sunk and the flags have been removed – so what happens next to Caird Park after the closure of its two golf courses?
The 18-hole and nine-hole courses at the Dundee park shut on Wednesday in a move designed to save Leisure and Culture Dundee money.
With the debate about whether or not the courses should have been closed now over, The Courier examines what the future holds for one of the city’s most prominent areas of public land.
Why did the Caird Park golf courses close?
Leisure and Culture Dundee’s board agreed to close the Caird Park courses because they were losing money.
Although, as of March 2024, membership of the courses was up 4.7% on the previous year, it was claimed the number of rounds played was down by 7.5% and that every round was being subsidised by taxpayers at a cost of £9.10.
As a result, it was said to be “financially challenging” to run the facilities.
Councillors ratified the decision by LACD to close the courses to save more than £400,000 a year, and the final rounds were played at the end of April.
Could someone reopen the golf courses?
The Courier exclusively revealed back in December how a golf firm had drawn up “exciting” plans that could see the sport retained at Caird Park.
The unnamed company had expressed an interest in taking over the running of the courses in a partnership with the local authority.
Its plans included upgrading the existing courses, building a driving range and creating an 18-hole mini golf course.
However, these proposals have gone quiet since, and the idea of funding the development by selling some of the Caird Park land for housing could prove to be a stumbling block.
Could the Caird Park land be sold for housing?
The option of replacing all, or even some, of the former golf courses with housing seems very unlikely for a variety of reasons.
The Dundee Local Development Plan designates Caird Park and its golf courses as open space and part of its Green Network.
This is the same status given to other popular areas like Baxter Park, Camperdown Park, Balgay Park and the Law.
The development plan – a land use strategy that informs planning decisions – says that “development proposals shall protect and enhance the Dundee Green Network
by ensuring that development will not lead to the fragmentation of the existing
network of green infrastructure”.
It also says plans to change the use of a green space such as Caird Park “should establish that the site no longer has a potential value as green infrastructure”.
Any developers looking to build on the land would need to jump through numerous other hoops, including replacing the lost green space with a new area “of equal benefit and accessibility… in or adjacent to the community most directly affected”.
Given the city’s two other former municipal courses – another nine-holer at Caird Park and the old 18-holer at Camperdown – have never been sold for housing, it further suggests this idea is a non-starter.
Kevin Keenan, leader of the council’s opposition Labour group, said: “When the Regional Performance Centre was built (in Caird Park), I think they needed a special application.
“This land was gifted to the people and it becomes difficult as to how you can repurpose it.”
What will the council do with the land now?
For the foreseeable, the land at Caird Park will be left to become overgrown – similar to Camperdown Park.
Mr Keenan said: “All the talk about Caird Park when the decision was made by the administration to close it was around rewilding the park.
“I suppose that means, ‘let’s just let it get overgrown’.
“Obviously it’s a huge park, and it’s very much being wasted when you consider that exercise was being taken by quite a number of people playing rounds of golf there.”
Potential ‘alternative leisure developments’ at Caird Park being considered
However, Dundee City Council has hinted it is considering potential alternative leisure uses by “interested parties”.
It has not specified what these uses are and whether any of them involve golf.
But it suggests some of the land could be brought back into use in the future.
A spokesperson for the local authority told The Courier: “The city governance committee agreed on December 2 last year that when the golf course ceases operation, there would be parkland greenspace maintenance with higher level of naturalised grass areas to support biodiversity development.
“The location will also contribute to the city’s environmental objectives as defined within the Local Biodiversity Action Plan.
“This valuable greenspace will support Dundee’s wider nature network, with increased biodiversity, habitat and climate-resilient woodland development areas, as nature restoration funding becomes available.
“Submissions from interested parties are also currently being appraised regarding alternative leisure development of areas within the park and any recommendations would be considered at a future committee.”
- What would you like to see on the land? Let us know in the comments below
Conversation