Pegasus Golf Course petition hits 10,000 signatures as fight grows

The golf course is believed to have been purchased for around $7 million and industry-led estimates suggest a residential rezoning could increase that value to around $400m.

Among the opposition to the course’s proposed conversion is cricketing great Sir Richard Hadlee, a long-time resident and first official member of the Pegasus Golf Club. Local member of parliament for Waimakariri, Matt Doocey, has also publicly opposed the developer’s plans.

A crowded public meeting held last week at the Pegasus school hall was initially standing room only – then the overflow saw people having to stand outside.

The crowded public meeting at Pegasus School saw residents having to stand outside due to the large attendance. Photo / RNZ

Pegasus Residents Group president Matt James says a planned meeting with Wolfbrook on Monday was cancelled and a new date has not yet been agreed.

The group believes the number of signatures on the petition – which will reach parliament once it is submitted – is sending a clear message.

“The scale of support shows that New Zealanders recognise what is at stake, which is whether communities retain a meaningful voice in decisions that fundamentally affect the places where they live,” says the group.

The Championship Golf Course at Pegasus has hosted some of the world’s best golfers, including New Zealand’s former world number one Lydia Ko. Photo / Photosport

The group points out that the current “Special Purpose” zoning of the area was designed to protect the space for recreation. The fast-track approvals process could allow Wolfbrook to bypass that protection.

“The petition does not ask Parliament to decide the outcome of any future proposal. Instead, it asks Parliament to ensure that any proposal affecting the site is subject to the normal planning, assessment and public consultation processes that communities rely on to protect long-established assets,” says the group.

The petition closes on June 30.

Wolfbrook has been approached for comment.

Mike Thorpe is a senior multimedia journalist for the Herald, based in Christchurch. He has been a broadcast journalist across television and radio for 20 years and joined the Herald in August 2024.