Sellers of the former Royal Oak Golf Course have set a June 7 deadline for offers for the 27-acre property, recently listed at $9.5 million.
Santanna Portman, real estate listing agent with William Wright Commercial, said five major groups are expected to submit offers, some from as far away as eastern Canada.
The property at 540 Marsett Pl. in Saanich is within B.C.’s Agricultural Land Reserve.
“Some prospective buyers are happy with a unique long-term real estate hold, especially in an economic climate where there is a clear housing shortage, while others see value in retaining the ALR designation,” Portman said.
Portman said offers with “strong financial capabilities and reasonable due diligence/possession dates” will win the bid.
Sellers will not choose the best offer solely based on the buyer’s intended use, as they do not intend on being involved with any parties or their plans after the transaction, Portman said.
A Saskatchewan-based numbered company, 1122580 B.C. Ltd., bought the site in 2017. It has not been used as a golf course for eight years.
When the nine-hole course closed in 2015, its then-owner said it was not economically viable.
The prospect of applying to remove the land from the ALR was raised in 2019 but dropped after Saanich staff recommended council not support it.
In September 1977, the Agricultural Land Commission turned down a request from John Isherwood to take the land out of the ALR. The request said the land was heavily treed with rock outcrops, had never been used to produce agricultural crops, and was sloped and unsuitable for farm use.
After an additional request the following month, the owner was allowed to removed two acres of the property from the reserve because it had very poor agricultural capability.
A Royal Oak Community Association spokesperson said recently that members want the site to remain within the ALR.
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