Golf Information has been chatting with Ian Barnett, Group Land and Growth Director at LRG, about how London’s newest planning proposals may have far reaching penalties for golf golf equipment throughout the nation.
London’s rising planning coverage has put golf programs firmly within the highlight. As a part of the session on the brand new London Plan, the Mayor has advised that some areas of Metropolitan Open Land, together with sure golf programs with restricted public entry and low recorded biodiversity worth, could possibly be assessed for launch for housing.
In keeping with Barnett, this isn’t only a London challenge. He believes it’s a robust sign of how nationwide coverage may evolve and of the troublesome decisions that golf golf equipment throughout England might face within the years forward.
The query for a lot of house owners is whether or not this represents a sluggish squeeze on programs on the fringe of cities and cities, or a real alternative to safe the long run way forward for their golf equipment.
A shift in considering round open land
Golf programs have lengthy occupied an unsure place in planning coverage. Many sit throughout the Inexperienced Belt or Metropolitan Open Land.
Whereas they’re clearly developed in sensible phrases, they usually perform and seem like open countryside. For many years this has resulted in robust coverage safety and restricted scope for change.
The London Plan session marks a delicate however necessary shift. Whereas total safety for Metropolitan Open Land stays, the Mayor is asking whether or not all such land is performing the perform for which it was designated.
Some golf programs will not be accessible to the broader public and a few have comparatively low recorded ecological worth in contrast with different types of open house.
These are the websites the Mayor has recognized as potential candidates for redevelopment, topic to strict necessities round public entry, biodiversity enhancement, prime quality design and a big proportion of inexpensive housing.
At a nationwide stage, modifications to the Nationwide Planning Coverage Framework introduce the idea of the gray belt throughout the Inexperienced Belt.
This refers to decrease performing Inexperienced Belt land, usually beforehand developed or compromised in character, the place housing could also be acceptable if clear guidelines are met on inexpensive housing supply, infrastructure provision and public inexperienced house.
Taken collectively, Barnett sees a transparent sample rising. Properly situated open land on the sting of settlements that performs poorly towards coverage goals is now being actively reconsidered, offered improvement can ship tangible public advantages. Many golf programs fall into this class.
What this implies for golf membership house owners
Barnett says that golf equipment are likely to react to this challenge in certainly one of two methods. Some see improvement as an existential risk to their membership.
Others see headline land values and assume that securing planning permission might be simple and extremely profitable. In his view, each positions are overly simplistic.
Essentially the most reasonable alternatives usually sit between these extremes. For some golf equipment, full relocation from an more and more urbanised web site to a extra appropriate location on the sting of city or in a rural setting may be transformational.
Residential improvement on the unique web site can fund a brand new course with higher amenities and a extra sustainable long run future.
The talk is already taking part in out on the bottom. Golf Information just lately reported on proposals affecting Ifield Golf Membership in West Sussex, the place land has been recognized for potential housing of 3000 properties as a part of wider native plan discussions.
One other instance Barnett factors to is Basingstoke Golf Membership, the place he suggested on the planning, disposal and relocation of the membership.
After exploring a number of choices, the membership efficiently relocated to an present course at Dummer on the alternative aspect of the M3. Housing improvement on the previous web site is now properly underway.
One other instance is Blue Mountain Golf Membership in Bracknell Forest. Surrounded by housing and recognized as having improvement potential, the location was redeveloped to incorporate a Golfplex leisure centre, driving vary, clubhouse and parking, alongside 400 new properties, group sports activities amenities and a brand new college.
The membership now has a viable long run base, the native authority has secured housing and infrastructure, and land worth has been realised in a deliberate and structured method.
In different instances, partial redevelopment has been the popular resolution. At Maidenhead Golf Course, land has been allotted for round 2,000 properties whereas retaining a golf provide, and on the former Studying Golf Course, improvement and inexperienced house have been deliberate collectively.
In these conditions, releasing a part of the land has allowed golf equipment to reinvest within the remaining course and infrequently enhance the standard of {the golfing} expertise.
The significance of web site particular evaluation
Barnett is obvious that not each golf course is appropriate for improvement. The place to begin, he says, ought to by no means be land worth assumptions, however an in depth understanding of planning coverage because it applies to that particular web site.
Key issues embrace whether or not the course lies within the Inexperienced Belt, Metropolitan Open Land or open countryside, how the native plan treats that designation, the recorded biodiversity worth of the land, ranges of public entry, proximity to providers and transport, and the size of native housing want.
In London specifically, the Mayor’s reference to restricted biodiversity worth has already prompted objections from environmental teams, a lot of whom level to the wildlife curiosity of golf programs.
In consequence, Barnett stresses that sturdy ecological evaluation is crucial earlier than any technique is developed.
Early specialist recommendation could make a essential distinction. A robust planning and land staff will assess native plans, housing targets, infrastructure commitments and rising coverage modifications.
They’ll establish constraints corresponding to panorama, heritage or environmental designations and benchmark land values and supply prospects to handle expectations amongst members or shareholders.
What we do know is on the planning map round golf programs is altering. London’s proposed method to MOL and the nationwide gray belt coverage are a part of a wider shift.
