A South Auckland golf course could have to close after Auckland Airport, which owns the land, declined to renew the lease it’s held for decades to make way for a new road.

At least three other golf courses in the area have closed, relocated or downsized in the last few years as more land is sold for development or infrastructure.

Aviation Country Club has operated at its Uenuku Way site for about 40 years.

But its future there is now uncertain, after the airport told the club last month it wouldn’t renew its lease when it expires on October 31.

Instead, the airport will construct a bypass between State Highway 20A and State Highway 20B on the site and upgrade the adjacent Nixon Rd to alleviate congestion on other roads near the airport.

Although Aviation Country Club management had been aware of the airport’s plans to change the road layout in the area for some time, they were surprised when the lease renewal was declined, the club’s operations manager David Campbell said.

“We had talks with the airport late last year and we were certainly under the impression that we would probably get a renewal of some sort with our lease.

“Originally they said they wanted to put us on a month-to-month lease after the 31st of October and we obviously advised that wasn’t very good for a golf course – we couldn’t plan.”

The lease expired at the same time as memberships so club members would still get a full year’s use out of the club.

However, Aviation’s potential imminent closure would make golf less accessible to South Aucklanders in future, Campbell said.

Nearby Manukau Golf Course, now operating as Windross Farm, relocated to Ardmore recently after the land it was on was sold to Metlife in 2015.

Papakura Golf Club closed in 2011.

The Grange Golf Club in Papatoetoe has merged with Royal Auckland Golf Club, near Middlemore Hospital.

The new merged club will operate on both courses, but some of the land at the Royal Auckland site has been sold to Mansons for development.

If Aviation Country Club was to close the nearest golf course to the airport would be the merged Royal Auckland and The Grange club on Hospital Rd, 11km away.

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