Agreement reached 'in principle' over Royal Dornoch Golf Club land lease
Royal Dornoch Golf Club will have to stump up thousands of pounds for its occupation of the town’s Common Good land under the terms of a new lease, it has emerged.
The club - ranked as in the top ten in the world - has been paying a peppercorn rent of just £150 a year for the last 47 years - although it does contribute around £10,000 a year to good causes.
But under the new arrangements that fee will soar to £25,000 a year.
And it has also been agreed that a further minimum annual £25,000 payment will be made related to player rounds on the championship course.
Both payments will be index linked to inflation and will be reviewed every five years.
Dornoch Community Council has welcomed the “agreement in principle” which it said both sides felt was “fair”.
Chairwoman Yvonne Ross said it would give the golf club flexibility to advance a plan for a new clubhouse at the same time as giving Dornoch community council the opportunity to pursue important community development initiatives.
She said: “Dornoch Community Council is pleased to announce that after several months of negotiations we have an agreement in principle with Royal Dornoch Golf club.
“We have been working diligently to improve and strengthen the joint working between Dornoch Community Council and Royal Dornoch Golf Club for the benefit of the community.”
Mrs Ross added that the community council was “delighted” that RDGC intended to continue its community fund which has disbursed £38,500 since it was set up five years ago. The money comes from a percentage of the net green fee income from visiting players.
The club’s existing lease was granted in 1973 for a 99-year period but in recent years there has been criticism about the low level of rental given the club’s status and income.
In a recent column for the Northern Times, East Sutherland and Edderton ward councillor Jim McGillivray said that when it was initially granted the “modest” rental gave the club long term security and the ability to plan for the future.
But he added that since then the club had prospered while the town had suffered some serious economic blows. And the 1973 lease should be “sorted” to recognise the new circumstances.
The impetus for the new lease has been the club’s desire to build a £4.6 million new clubhouse on the 18th Green which would require further land.
Planning consent was granted on October 14 for the new twin-gabled clubhouse to replace the 1909 original. Keppie Design has produced the plans which include a feature clock tower between the 1st tee and the 18th green
Highland Council launched a consultation over the proposal that the club surrender its existing lease and negotiate a new one.
Documents show that the total area of Common Good land to be included in the new proposed lease is 85.629 hectares with a lease term of 99 years.
Royal Dornoch Golf Club general manager Neil Hampton said: “Discussion on the common good land lease is currently subject to a public consultation exercise, after which an application will be submitted to the Highland Council Area Committee and councillors, with final approval by the Sheriff Court.
“We are keen to work with the community council and other partners to achieve a mutually-beneficial agreement for our proposed clubhouse. We are also in discussion regarding future community benefits that the club can help with.”