During the week of May 7^th 2012, Andrew Goosen, Senior Design Associate, and number of other professional consultants, visited the island of Mauritius to carry out an investigative site study to determine the viability of developing, amongst others, a public access golfing facility.

Rob Richardson, Andrew Goosen, Claus Mischker

Located in the North East of the island, Plaines des Roches is a region of the island that is being earmarked for development by the Client, one of the largest sugar farming consortiums on the island. Areas of low yield or abandoned sugar cane fields have been identified and various development options are now being considered.

Some of the native vegetation found onsite

A refreshing approach to a housing and golf course development model has been proposed for the site, one in which a far greater emphasis has been placed on the golf course being self sustainable and the housing being more community orientated  as opposed to the more traditional golf estate model that is synonymous with modern day developments.

The golf village is proposed to include 18 holes of golf, a golfing academy and an adventure golf facility, all this will be only a part of the focal point, the village, which will include many other attractions for local Mauritians and visitors.

The site for the proposed golf facility is a fascinating one, an abandoned dairy farm, now home to an operating skydiving school, will become the focal point of the village. The air strip, for use by small fixed wing aircraft and skydiving operations will remain while the new development will grow around it. The site includes a mature forest rich with eucalyptus trees and some spectacular tropical specimens, and densely overgrown farming land.

Looking into the abandoned dairy farm site

The site visit was an extremely successful one and the development team are now compiling data and plans to take the project forward.

Skydiving activities in the centre of the site will form great contrast to golf

We look forward to visiting the site again soon with the new layout.

Ed Notes: Andrew Goosen is a Senior Design Associate and heads up the TPL African office based in Cape Town, South Africa.

WRITTEN ON May 22nd, 2012 BY Tim AND STORED IN Andrew Goosen, Our projects, Travels