Glasgow golf club hoping to build flats to generate revenue

A golf club in Glasgow has submitted a planning application to build 14 flats in a move to generate ‘much-needed revenue’.

Williamwood Golf Club is seeking permission for a residential flatted development, plus parking, the formation of a new vehicular access and ancillary works.

The application is accompanied by a report that highlights some of the difficulties currently faced by the golf club and indicates that without interventions and changes the club ‘may become unsustainable’.

The site of the proposed residential development is part of the grounds of the golf club, but is currently unused and is not part of the course. The report emphasises that the development ‘does not in any way compromise the integrity or quality of the golf course’.

It goes on to say that the development would generate much-needed funds, which could be used to make improvements to the course and golf club, benefiting existing members and hopefully attracting new members, helping ensure the club is sustainable over the longer term.

The golf club has suffered a drop in income, with membership falling consistently for 10 years.

However, the golf club has set out a strategy which includes measures to increase the number of social / community members, stopping the decline in total membership. The aim is to create a more sustainable facility for the local population to access and use for a range of purposes.

Several golf clubs have sought to build homes on their land as an extra revenue stream in recent years and Glasgow has been hit by a decline in golf memberships over the past 20 years.