Tag: JH Northlakes

North Lakes Driving Range Pan Rejected as Golf Course Fight Continues

Plans for a 68-bay driving range on part of the former North Lakes Golf Course have been refused by City of Moreton Bay, a decision welcomed by community campaigners but one that may yet face a legal challenge.

Read: Future Uncertain For Former North Lakes Golf Course

The application, lodged by JH Northlakes, sought approval for a driving range, pro shop, bar, restaurant and conference and function facilities on approximately 2.1 hectares of the former golf course site. The proposal focused on the existing clubhouse on Bridgeport Drive and three former golf holes immediately to the north.

North Lakes Driving Range – artist impression (Photo credit: City of Moreton Bay /DA/2025/3488)

Moreton Bay’s refusal found the development conflicted with provisions of the Mango Hill Infrastructure Development Control Plan (MHIDCP), which governs planning outcomes in North Lakes. Among the reasons cited were concerns that the proposal did not meet desired environmental and landscape outcomes and included uses broader than what is defined as outdoor recreation under the planning framework.

The decision is the latest development in the long-running debate over the future of the former golf course, which has remained the focus of community discussion since its closure.

Community group welcomes decision

Photo credit: Google Maps

Save North Lakes Golf Course (SNLGC), which has campaigned for years to preserve the site for golfing purposes, welcomed the outcome.

In a statement published following the decision, the group said: “We are delighted to bring you the news that City of Moreton Bay yesterday refused the application by JH Northlakes for a Driving Range / Bar / Function Centre on the former golf course site, nearly 11 months after it was lodged.”

The group has consistently argued that the proposal extended beyond a recreational facility, pointing to the scale of the hospitality and function components proposed as part of the development.

According to planning documents, the application included a substantial bar and seating area, commercial kitchen facilities and a dedicated conference space. The refusal also referenced concerns about opportunities to protect vegetation and wildlife, with objections raised regarding the clearing of more than 300 trees.

Community campaigners additionally highlighted concerns about traffic impacts, lighting, and pedestrian safety in the surrounding residential area.

More than 300 submissions opposing the proposal were lodged during the assessment process, according to SNLGC.

Appeal expected

Photo credit: Google Maps

Despite the refusal, the future of the proposal remains uncertain.

JH Northlakes has announced its intention to appeal the decision in the Planning and Environment Court. The company has stated it believes the proposed driving range is a permitted use of the land and has indicated it hopes the matter can ultimately be resolved through mediation with Council.

The latest decision follows the developer’s withdrawal in 2023 of separate plans for a retirement village and aged care development on part of the former golf course land. The withdrawal came after years of campaigning by Save North Lakes Golf Course and other community members seeking to retain the land as a golf course.

Read: Debate Grows Over Proposed School on Former North Lakes Golf Course

Meanwhile, attention is also turning to other potential uses for the site. Community groups continue to anticipate a proposal for a new school on the southern section of the former golf course through the State’s Ministerial Infrastructure Designation process.

For residents on both sides of the debate, Moreton Bays refusal may have settled one planning application, but it has not resolved the broader question of what comes next for one of North Lakes’ most closely watched parcels of land.

Published 17-June-2026

Debate Grows Over Proposed School on Former North Lakes Golf Course

Stakeholders are working to shape two different futures for the former North Lakes Golf Course, after a proposal emerged to build an independent school there, expected to grow over a period ten years. The planned school, from pre-prep to Year 12, would eventually have capacity for up to 1,550 students.

Read: School Planned for North Lakes Common Development

Under the plan from JH Northlakes in partnership with the Anglican Schools Commission, around 15 hectares of the former golf course, south of Diamond Jubilee Way, would be used for two school campuses. Developers say roughly two-thirds of that area would remain as open space or playing fields.

Photo credit: Google Street View

JH Northlakes’ CEO, Simon Forsyth, has described the site as under-utilised land located within a growing urban area. The proposal aims to help meet a forecast need for additional school places in the region: the Independent Schools Queensland estimates the City of Moreton Bay may require more than 21,000 extra school places by 2046. Forsyth also noted that school enrolments across the City rose by 646 this year to 14,996, underlining pressure on existing facilities.

Rather than opening at full capacity, the school is expected to grow over about a decade. Proposed amenities include a swimming pool, chapel, playing fields — facilities developers say could benefit both students and the wider community. The developers maintain that education is an allowable use under the relevant planning rules, and note that although the site lies within a broader Koala Priority Area, there is no mapped koala-habitat within the proposed school footprint.

Photo credit: Google Maps

According to JH Northlakes, they plan to lodge a development application through the state-level Ministerial Infrastructure Designation (MID) process in the coming weeks. If accepted, final approval would rest with the state Deputy Premier, who oversees the relevant portfolio. The MID process includes two rounds of public consultation, with formal opportunities for feedback expected as early as 2026.

On the other side, the community group Save North Lakes Golf Course (SNLGC) has renewed its opposition. The group recalls that a similar proposal for the same parcel of land was rejected by the State Government in 2021, and says the land was originally intended to remain recreational open space as part of an environmental corridor under the suburb’s master plan.

Traffic and parking concerns remain central to SNLGC’s objections. The group warns that the proposed main entrance off Endeavour Boulevard could worsen congestion and strain street parking in surrounding areas. Around 50 residents, including SNLGC members, attended a recent community information session, where concerns were raised about the cumulative impact of the school, a proposed driving range, and further development using the former clubhouse and fairways.

JH Northlakes also has a separate development application before council for a 68-bay driving range, restaurant and conference facilities on approximately 2.1 hectares of the former course. That application is currently in a holding period: the applicant paused its response to an information request, with updated material now due by December 19.

For some residents, the school proposal represents a significant shift for North Lakes, from a suburb originally planned with integrated green corridors and open space to one facing denser institutional or commercial development. For others, it is viewed as a pragmatic response to growing demand, offering new education and recreational infrastructure.

Read: North Lakes Faces Another Choice Over its Former Golf Course

At present the school proposal is in preliminary consultation. If the MID lodgement goes ahead, residents will have another opportunity to formally lodge feedback. As the community watches carefully, the coming months may determine whether North Lakes retains more of its original character, or begins a new chapter of redevelopment.

Published 11-December-2025