[Photo: GOLFPASS]

The Pacific Harbour Golf Course could be reduced from 18 holes, with further development plans currently being considered for the privately owned freehold land.

The issue was raised in Parliament by Opposition MP Faiyaz Koya, who questioned Housing and Local Government Minister Maciu Nalumisa on whether all approval processes had been followed for the subdivision of part of the golf course.

Nalumisa confirmed that the required legal and administrative processes had been followed.

He said the Department of Town and Country Planning granted conditional approval on 29 January 2026 for a subdivision containing 63 lots, including 61 residential lots, an open space and an access road.

The Minister said the department understands the developer is eventually proposing to reduce the golf course from 18 holes to nine, while other subdivision applications affecting the golf course are also before the department.

Nalumisa stressed that those applications are separate and will have to be assessed on their own merits.

He also said the department had not identified a registered covenant requiring the privately owned land to remain an 18-hole golf course.

Koya raised concerns over the lack of public consultation and said residents and golf course users had raised objections to the proposed changes.

Nalumisa said public consultation was not required under the existing planning framework because the land falls outside an approved town planning scheme.

However, he acknowledged the concerns surrounding the development, including water supply, wastewater, drainage, roads, traffic and environmental impacts.

A full Environmental Impact Assessment is also required before the development can progress, with the Minister stressing that the conditional planning approval does not replace environmental approval.