Progress made following 'gruelling' negotiations over Royal Dornoch Golf Club land lease
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A COMPLEX and long-running renegotiation of the terms of the lease for Royal Dornoch Golf Club’s occupancy of common good lands is making progress.
Sutherland councillors have approved several proposals with the most significant a huge hike in the golf club’s rent from a peppercorn £150 a year to £25,000 from 2023 and an additional £25,000 per annum when construction work starts on a planned multi-million new clubhouse.
However, Sutherland County Committee chairman Cllr Richard Gale has asked for his concern to be recorded over one aspect of the agreement – a clause that if the club does not break even financially, then it could get a rent holiday.
The approval follows a 12-week community consultation, as required under the Community Empowerment Act, during which responses from members of the public were overwhelmingly in favour of the various proposals.
The renegotiation also involved Dornoch Bowling Club and Tennis Club, both of which occupy Common Good Land close to the golf club. It is proposed to move the bowling club four metres to the east into part of the existing tennis club. The remainder of the tennis club will be absorbed by Royal Dornoch Golf Club and be incorporated into its parking area.
In return for the loss of the tennis club, the golf club has pledged £100,000 towards a new sports facility at Dornoch Academy.
At its virtual meeting last month, Sutherland County Committee heard there had been 31 responses to the community consultation with 27 fully supportive of the plans and four raising various questions.
A report stated: “The proposed new lease resulting from prolonged negotiations will see Dornoch Common Good benefiting significantly from a major increase in income.”
Councillors expressed concern over the tie-up between the additional £25,000 rental and the start of clubhouse construction work
Highland Council estates manager Kenneth Forbes said: “This whole negotiation is on the basis that a new clubhouse will be built. Regardless of what happens, the rent will go up to £25,000 so it is not the end of the world if they do not build it.”
Cllr Gale said that while he was fully in favour of the terms outlined, he was concerned at a rent holiday.
He pointed out that during the pandemic other Common Good tenants had been expected to pay their rent in full, whether they were open for business or not.
“I would like to record my concern about that aspect of the lease,” he said
Mr Forbes responded: “The club reckon that if they fall below 7000 visitors, that would be a problem. They currently get between 10-15,000 visitors a year. Hopefully with Covid easing off, it would not come to that.
“The difference with existing tenants is that this is a negotiation and we are struggling to get a deal. We have to work with the golf club. Pre-Covid nobody had this clause.”
Cllr Jim McGillivray was anxious to ensure the club be locked down over the offer of funding towards a sports facility.
He said: “It has been a long and gruelling negotiation and I would like to see this come to a conclusion so that we will all live happily ever after.”
The committee was reminded that it did not have the final say on the agreement which will go before the full council for approval at its June meeting. Sheriff Court consent is thereafter required.
