Councillors vote to shut Dundee’s Caird Park golf course
Dundee City Council: Caird Park golf course to be axed
Last updated 3rd Dec 2024
Dundee councillors have voted to shut Caird Park golf course but Broughty Castle gets a stay-of-execution.
Amid increasing financial pressures, Leisure and Culture Dundee chiefs proposed closing the two city attractions earlier this year.
This, they said, would save the arms-length organisation around £500,000 each year.
A public consultation was later launched which sought local opinions on the closure plans.
The results of this went before the city governance committee on Monday, with council officers recommending that both Caird Park golf course and Broughty Castle be closed.
Caird Park golf course to be closed next year
However, the proposals were met with overwhelming public objection.
Adressing councillors during Monday’s meeting, Caird Park Golf Club captain Ian Gordon urged them to consider other avenues to keep the course open.
He said: “Dundee is the fourth largest city in Scotland and it’s going to be left without a municipal golf course, we find that absolutely disgraceful.
“We’ve brought through junior golfers in our club for longer than I’ve been there and it gives them something to look forward to.”
The proposals also drew criticism from opposition councillors, including North East representative Jax Finnegan – who labelled them “short-sighted”.
Calls to defer decision
An amendment was put forward by Lib Dem councillor Craig Duncan asking committee members to delay a decision on the closures until after the Scottish Government budget is set later this month.
He said: “We should not feel coerced into making any decision on anything tonight until we are in full position of the facts.”
However, the majority of councillors voted in favour of Deputy Lord Provost Kevin Cordell’s motion to close the Caird Park golf course and delay the decision on the future of Broughty Castle.
The course will be closed from April 30 2025.
A final decision on Broughty Castle is expected to be made in February.