In Stage 1 community engagement, we asked if community members were likely to use a private Wellness Centre at Brighton Golf Course, which services/facilities were of interest, what they saw as the benefits and challenges of the proposal and their overall level of support.

• 70% overall support for the Wellness Centre proposal
• 68% would likely use the Wellness Centre (Of these respondents: 74% would use hot springs, 65% cafe; 61% plunge pool; 57% visit the day spa)
• Wellness Centre attracted a different demographic to the warm water pool, with very high interest and likely use among those aged 35 to 49 years.

Council considered community feedback and support at its 28 June 2022 meeting and resolved to provide landlord consent for Leisure Management Services to proceed with design development of the Wellness Centre at Brighton Golf Course, and commence lease negotiations with Leisure Management Services regarding management of a Warm Water Pool and Wellbeing Centre at Brighton Golf Course.

In July 2023, Leisure Management Services transferred its business to BlueFit Pty Ltd, which has taken on all obligations in the existing lease for Brighton Golf Course.

BlueFit is a leisure focused company that manages aquatic centres, golf courses and leisure facilities all around Australia. In Bayside, it currently manages and operates the Sandringham Family Leisure Centre swimming pool, as well as the Brighton Golf Course.

find out more about BlueFit and the site and facility management.

In Stage 1 community engagement, we asked if community members were likely to use a private Wellness Centre at Brighton Golf Course, which services/facilities were of interest, what they saw as the benefits and challenges of the proposal and their overall level of support.

• 70% overall support for the Wellness Centre proposal
• 68% would likely use the Wellness Centre (Of these respondents: 74% would use hot springs, 65% cafe; 61% plunge pool; 57% visit the day spa)
• Wellness Centre attracted a different demographic to the warm water pool, with very high interest and likely use among those aged 35 to 49 years.

Council considered community feedback and support at its 28 June 2022 meeting and resolved to provide landlord consent for Leisure Management Services to proceed with design development of the Wellness Centre at Brighton Golf Course, and commence lease negotiations with Leisure Management Services regarding management of a Warm Water Pool and Wellbeing Centre at Brighton Golf Course.

In July 2023, Leisure Management Services transferred its business to BlueFit Pty Ltd, which has taken on all obligations in the existing lease for Brighton Golf Course.

BlueFit is a leisure focused company that manages aquatic centres, golf courses and leisure facilities all around Australia. In Bayside, it currently manages and operates the Sandringham Family Leisure Centre swimming pool, as well as the Brighton Golf Course.

find out more about BlueFit and the site and facility management.

The proposed Wellness Centre operating hours will be subject to planning approval. Indicative hours are outlined below:

	Wellness		Spa		Café
Day	Open	Close	Open	Close	Open	Close	Comment
Monday to Thursday	8am	7pm	10am	7pm	6am	5pm	All hours to be adjusted in light of patronage, bookings and seasonal fluctuations.
Friday	8am	9pm	10am	9pm	6am	9pm
Saturday	8am	9pm	9am	9pm	7am	10pm
Sunday	8am	7pm	9am	7pm	7am	7pm

The first phase of community consultation identified concerns around user affordability of the proposed Wellness Centre.

BlueFit has indicated that the cost to use the proposed Wellness Centre will be in line with other similar wellness centres. However, Bayside residents will receive a 25% discount.

BlueFit initially propose to access mineral water through a shallow bore that draws from the Werribee aquifer and provide this to the pools via heating and filtration.

BlueFit has obtained a permit from Southern Rural Water (SRW) to undertake a shallow bore at the site. Any extraction of energy (water or heat) will be authorised by both SRW and Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), and permits will require ongoing monitoring of the aquifer.

Once the facility is established, in the future, BlueFit may seek to undertake a deep bore(s) to access geothermal heating for their facility, which could potentially also be used to heat the Warm Water Pool.

Geothermal waters are popular worldwide and growing in use in Victoria, such as the Peninsula Hot Springs and Deep Blue Warrnambool.

BlueFit would need to seek EPA and Council approval before a deep bore could be undertaken. The bore would not generate noise as a submersible pump would be located below ground.

Subject to the mineral content in the water, any discharged water may be suitable to water the golf course fairways.

More than 500 indigenous plants are proposed to be planted around the Warm Water Pool, Wellness Centre and golf course to offset any requirements for tree and vegetation removal.

The first phase of consultation showed overall support for the Wellness Centre (70%), while identifying the need for sufficient on-site car parking (16%) as a key challenge to address.

Parking and traffic management will be subject to final design and planning permit processes for the proposed Wellness Centre

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Traffic assessment - Warm Water Pool

A Traffic Impact Assessment report prepared for the Warm Water Pool identifies that the existing car park has 134 parking spaces, with a further 33 car parking spaces along on the loop road. A total of 234 parking spaces are located in the immediate area, including along Dendy Street. The report which found that the Warm Water Pool would likely generate an additional car parking demand of up to 62 spaces on a typical weekday and 59 spaces on the weekend.
Parking occupancy surveys undertaken around the Warm Water Pool location found a minimum of 182 available spaces during the weekday surveyed, and 147 available spaces available on the weekend. Within the off-street car park immediately adjacent to the proposed Warm Water Pool, there were 100 spaces available during the weekday peak period and 71 spaces available during the Saturday peak period.

On this basis, the Traffic Impact Assessment report found that there is enough available parking to accommodate the additional weekday and weekend car parking demand generated by the Warm Water Pool.

The traffic report also recommends a pedestrian path is constructed from Dendy Street to the Warm Water Pool, as well as bicycle parking facilities installed at the site to encourage use of sustainable transport.