A major new golf and leisure development in Brazil has been granted planning permits.

The developers behind the Rio de Janeiro International Golf Resort, UK firm International Golf & Resort Management in partnership with the Rio based company JCN, have been given the go-ahead to start the construction of their multi-component leisure destination just outside Petropolis, Brazil.

Set on a 1,100 hectare site, the resort will initially include a luxury hotel, an eighteen hole golf course, being designed by Nick Faldo’s company in association with Florida-based architect Steve Smyers, and a nine hole par three course. Another eighteen hole course is planned for a later stage in the development.

The project was conceived in 2007 and commenced planning in early 2008. It is located 16km from the ancient city of Petropolis, also one of the country’s leading locations for technology development.

Smyers, who is heading to Rio this week to progress the project, told GCA: “The plan is to commence detail design within the next month so that construction can start in September of this year.” The resort’s phased opening is expected to start in early 2014.

Valued at 500 million Brazilian reals (US$306 million), the developers say the new resort will generate approximately 2,000 direct and 4,000 indirect jobs and will increase the available accommodation in Rio state, an important consideration in the run-up to the 2016 Olympics, in which, of course, golf will make its return to the Games.  The Faldo firm is among those competing for the contract to design the Olympic golf course.