Dundee’s golf courses could be privatised as part of far-reaching plans to develop Camperdown Park.
Historic Camperdown House could, in the same blueprint, be transformed into a boutique hotel to operate in a similar fashion to Balbirnie House in Fife.
The major proposals are contained the Camperdown Park Development Plan for the next five years to be debated by the city council’s environment committee tonight.
A joint report to councillors by director of environment Ken Laing and director of environmental management Gary Robertson invites members to note development proposals and agree a £1 million package of early improvements.
They also ask for authority to progress actions in the plan, including pursuing external funding.
The full plan has not been issued in advance with the council papers but a copy has been seen by The Courier, and some of the proposals are far-reaching. The key objective is to develop a comprehensive, integrated development programme for the rejuvenation of Camperdown Park, one of Scotland’s most important public parks.
The joint report highlights 11 steps it says will be critical, including a new management structure, better access, external funding, better sports facilities and returning Camperdown House into productive use.
The development plan goes into much greater detail. It explains that Camperdown Golf Course, a well-regarded and challenging test, faces stiff competition from other courses in the area.
It operates below capacity and needs a large annual subsidy from the council but is constrained by a tight finding regime which negatively affects the course’s quality.
If Camperdown wishes to compete with other courses, it must raise its standards and the plan calls for an assessment of an improved maintenance regime and a new marketing plan, the report says.
The document says: ”In view of the large annual funding subsidy required from Dundee City Council to run Camperdown and Caird Park Golf Courses, a more radical approach would be to explore options for a change of operator.
”It is recommended that this alternative approach should be carefully considered as one of a range of possibilities for the future running of these important golf courses.”
Camperdown House has been maintained in good condition, with an £800,000 roof repair project carried out last year.
The plan for it proposes a mixed-use option including a boutique hotel, high-quality restaurant and commercial gallery perhaps in partnership with the V&A, McManus, DCA and RRS Discovery.
There should also be a heritage room celebrating the origins of the house, a special events venue and high quality shops.
The report calls for a feasibility study into the idea, and points to Balbirnie House in Markinch which has a number of similarities to Camperdown House. Balbirnie House was completed in 1817 and in 1969 it was acquired by Glenrothes Development Corporation, which converted the building into offices and laid out a golf course in the grounds.
Environment convener Craig Melville said the development plan is a document which has been produced for discussion and nothing has been set in stone.