Council confirms no plans to sell off Antill Golf Club

Mayor Matt Gould said the community could put aside concerns that the Picton land may be sold to developers.

The lease of the course is due to come to an end in 2023, so the council is legally required to tender for the operation of the golf course before finalising a new lease.

"I can categorically confirm our vision is for Antill to remain a golf course and that council has not even contemplated the potential for it to be used for anything other than a golf course," Cr Gould said.

"I understand there are community concerns and want to put these to bed once and for all. This golf course is a wonderful community space and should remain so."

Cr Gould wrote on Facebook that he'd been getting a "heap of messages, emails and tags from people who have heard a whole bunch of rumours" about the venue, and that the rumours were causing "unnecessary angst" in the community.

"There's no plans to sell it off, or turn it into houses, or sell it to a developer, or put medium or high density housing on it or anything else ridiculous like that," he said.

"We are legally required to go out to open tender on the operation of the course. Council doesn't have any choice on that. It is very much open to the current tenants to submit an [Expression of Interest] through the formal tender process once it commences later in the year, and I'd encourage them to do so.

"Council has done everything to work with the current tenant to minimise the impact of this process and staff are working closely with the current tenant and have agreed to extend their lease through to the end of June 2023 to allow for a full year of membership while the EOI process proceeds."

Council chief executive Ben Taylor said putting the lease out to tender, as legally required, ensured "an open and transparent process and the best possible outcome for the Wollondilly community".

The new lease will be in place by July 2023.

The final decision on the lease, its tenants and the terms and conditions will be reported to and resolved by the elected council.