An appeal by the Beverley Park Golf Club over the refusal of its application to build a 2.1-metre fence around the golf course may be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The club has appealed to the Land and Environment Court over the refusal of its application last July by the Georges River Local Planning Panel.
The matter has been listed to be heard in the Land and Environment Court on April 3 with an on-site hearing at the golf course on April 7 at 9.30am before adjourning back to the court.
But the court is currently implementing a review of all matters listed from 30 March 2020 to 30 June 2020.
Each matter will be listed for a telephone directions hearing to consider whether the listing can be conducted via telephone or other suitable arrangements are able to be made.
If it is determined that the matter cannot proceed, the listing date will be vacated and the matter will be listed for further directions.
Plans by the club to erect a metal railing security fence around the entire perimeter of the golf course angered nearby residents who started an online petition collecting hundreds of signatures.
The residents said that the course is on Crown Land and that the Beverley Park Plan of Management states that access to Crown Land is free as a matter of right.
Objections included the removal of trees, the change to the streetscape from their removal, the aesthetics of the proposed fence, the increased risk of golf balls flying into homes and the barring of public access to the golf course.
Residents said the fence would cause the removal of about 156 trees and bar public access to the golf course.
The club said that 119 trees and 25 shrubs will be removed but 217 new trees would be planted.
Club president Frank Bates has previously stated that the fence was necessary to stop vandalism and the loss of green fees by non-paying golfers illegally accessing the course.
The Local Planning Panel resolved to refuse the application for the fence due to the failure of the applicant to obtain the land owner's consent from Sydney Water, given part of the fence would be on their land.
The application also lacked important information on trees to be removed and the precise location of the fence, the panel said in its decision.
The Panel expressed concern about the overall design of the fence and subsequent impact on the environment and public amenity.
The club management was approached for comment.