Furious residents in Melbourne’s west have teed off on a golf club for its plans to build more than 30 homes on its luxury course — designed by Aussie legend Greg Norman — in a desperate bid for cash, citing concerns around increased traffic and property devaluation.

Sanctuary Lakes Golf Club was recently granted permits at VCAT to build 36 units near holes 4, 5 and 15 after several failed attempts to get the project over the line.

Club chair David Hunter previously told a Wyndham Council meeting the project would provide much-needed financial help for the club that has “operated at a loss for most of the past nine years”.

The 18-hole course is privately owned by the golf club.

However, nearby residents have slammed the decision, arguing it would exacerbate traffic in the estate and devalue properties.

Jing Lu, whose house backs onto the fifth hole, said it was “not fair” on the residents who had bought homes on the promise of “golf course views”.

“We bought this house at a higher price than normal because we were sold views of the golf course but now we won’t be able to see anything,” she said.

Fellow resident Al Herbias said the plans were “horrendous” and that residents were blindsided by the golf club’s proposal to build more houses.

Mr Herbias said residents had offered various solutions to financially support the club, like a community membership program, but were cast aside by the club as not being sustainable.

John Kalla, who lives on Meridian Close near hole 15 where more than 20 homes are slated to be built, said the additional traffic would make it a “nightmare” to navigate through the estate.

“Even getting out of Sanctuary Lakes will be very difficult, this outcome is very disappointing,” he said.

Sanctuary Lakes Golf Club general manager Josh McLean said this was an “exciting milestone” for the club and that it would “work openly and respectfully” with impacted residents.

He said the decision helped secure the future of the club, which faced “increasing financial pressure” from rising maintenance costs.

Wyndham councillors previously rejected a previous application by the club to build 30 units near holes 6 and 15, which received more than 400 objections from residents.

The golf course — designed by Norman and architect Bob Harrison — has also hosted qualifiers for the Victorian Open.